This might be a touch early but

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Or something... things bad here will post about it on new year eve proper. Stalled out still so part 3 (the finale) likely won't come till 2023. Sorry about that.

Annnnnyway we have Petie hanging out with the Ghost of Christmas Present... you know what that means? Gratuitous Christmas scenes of multiple characters! =D Yaaaaaaaaay~!

Hope you all enjoy the warmth & good cheer and that, above all, that it feels like Christmas (to quote a on topic song from my favorite adaptation of A Christmas Carol)~


Characters owned by me
A Christmas Carol made by Charles Dickens
Pokemon NOT owned by me

---

PCA - A Beary Merry Christmas Carol
Part 2: Bless us Every One


Petie’s fall came to a sudden, and surprisingly crashless, stop as he found himself tumbling out of his race car bed, half tangled in the blankets he lay on the floor of the darkened room. For a brief moment he wondered if he’d woken up from a really weird dream… but that thought faded almost instantly for several reasons. For starters Jules and the pets were nowhere to be seen which was hard to believe… and also he had to reluctantly admit the chances of him waking up like this without needing a diaper change were slim to none and he didn’t seem to need a change. As he tugged himself free of the covers and climbed onto his footie jammie clad feet he had to admit the most likely conclusion was he was still dreaming…. or whatever that had been…

As if to answer him a warm, beckoning glow came from the hallway past his open doorway. Peeking out he saw it was coming from down the stairs in the living room. He debated if he should go towards the mysterious light till he remembered the whole “Still dreaming” conclusion and exactly who it was he would most likely meet next the teddiursa sighed and toddled for the stairs. Slowly climbing down just to be safe in case the dream or whatever this was threw him an unexpected curveba-

“Ooohohoho! Come down and know me better lad~!”

And with one warm, booming voice any worries about the unexpected left as he sighed and climbed down the rest of the way like he normally would. He only got halfway down before he stopped and stared, slack jawed in awe. Expected something and being prepared to see it were two entirely different things and he had not prepared himself for the change that’d overtaken his living room.

He’d expected feast level platters of food all around and he wasn’t disappointed to find them bedecked in the light of the numerous candles (even as the numerous platters of sweets among them made him drool). However the rest of the room was a surprise. His family’s fairly average size tree that’d been decorated in the corner seemed to have evolved when nobody was looking and now brushed against the ceiling, bedecked with more lights and decorations that he ever thought possible. Moreover the rooms few basic and tasteful Christmas decorations had exploded into yards of garlands, wreaths, and lights as the familiar plant smell of “Christmas” was almost as strong as the smell of food for him. And among it all, big and smiling, was a… stantler.

“Come in, and know me better lad~ Ahem… hmm… did I already say that?”
"You did and no I haven't seen the like of you before... uh... um…”
“Ooh? Something trouble you little one?”
"... n-no offense but I kinda expected a delibird..."
“Hoooohohoho! None taken~ Why, I can be one sometimes~ But that's later not the here and now and the here and now is Christmas~”

Sweeping his arms wide the Ghost of Christmas Present let Petie get a good look at him. Despite the surprising species he was about as Petie remembered from the story and adaptations. A jolly giant decked out in a robe of green and white as his antlers stuck out from the wreath of holly crowning his head. All the while he was somehow eclipsing the candle light with a glow all his own. Past that what had the little bear transfixed was the towering stantler’s face. The bright sparkle in his eyes, the warmth in his smile (far beyond the glow he was putting out)… he knew this guy was supposed to be Father Christmas or something but every instinct Petie had told him this was santa… minus a beard…

“Hohohooo, not a shy one are you~? Come here little one, we have much to see~”
“Huh…? EEP!”

He’d been so mesmerized looking up at the ghost he’d somehow overlooked the fact he’d toddled right up to the brightly glowing deer and was now in grabbing range… till he found himself scooped right up. For the second time in… however long this dream thing had been going on… Petie found himself scooped up under the arms and dangling from the hands of one of the ghosts. This time though he just curled up shyly, not really feeling the urge to kick or squirm as the stantler smiled at him… before briefly rubbing noses with him and cuddling the bear close before he could even giggle at the nuzzles. The warm smell of baking spices, holly, and numerous other scents Petie could only identify as “Christmas” seemed to surround the spirit and put Petie in a daze as he finally noticed they weren’t in his living room anymore.

“W-what… wh-where is this?”
“Oho? Your first time seeing it~? I suppose so since you have a bedtime and winter makes you sleepy… this is Viridian’s Christmas Market~ Behold its splendors and know them better my small friend~”

Still cradling him with one arm the spirit threw his other arm wide and slowly spun in place to let the teddiursa gaze upon the scene. Despite the obviously modern trappings and buildings it felt timeless and right out of the story the ghosts had come from. Open air stalls selling christmas goods of all kinds among the snow to people bustling about decked in their warmest clothes. Carolers on street corners trying to get in tune as people enjoyed the music despite or maybe because of the slightly unpolished feeling it had. Stalls selling food with carefully controlled fires set up to entice people over to warm themselves before warming their stomachs… it was a lot to take in and every bit of it wondrous.

Wondrous enough he didn’t do more than pout a little at the ghosts comment. While it was true he sorta had a bedtime during the winter that was more cause he had a bad hibernation reflex (one of many admittedly). When he got too cold he just kinda… dozed off and didn’t wake up for hours at best. So going out after dark like this would be impossible unless he wanted to go so bundled up he couldn’t move… though that thought just make him realize the obvious. Despite being in the middle of a snowy street in his pajamas he didn’t feel the slightest bit of cold.

“Past might have mentioned this to you lad but I feel it needs repeating~”

Petie’s toy train of thought derailed as the stantler suddenly held him up, smile somehow getting warmer and broader as he did so.

“So often I show sights such as these to those in need of… redemption. Of hard lessons and firm words, often their own given back to them, so that they may see the light and come to care for their fellows. To be able to just enjoy and bask in the spirit of the season… why what more could a spirit ask for~? So thank you lad… but the present is fleeting and waits for no one~ We can’t miss our actual first stop~”

Somehow the stantlers speech made Petie feel small… but in a good way, a bit like praise did from time to time. It left him unsure how to respond as he suddenly found himself resting on the spirit’s shoulder as the Ghost of Chistmas Present was on the move again… aaaaand patting his back and bottom affectionately. As he watched the street market blur into lights and snow behind them Petie finally realized what this treatment was reminding him of. It was “Relative getting to hold the baby for the first time so they’re not gonna put them down”… as he, once again, wondered when he started categorizing the ways he’d been coddled and why the list refused to stop being relevant.

“Our first stop~ Tell me lad, do you know these people~?”
“Huh?”

Aware the blurring had stopped and they were now somewhere Petie found the spirit turning him around in his arms so the bear could see where exactly… and the teddiursa immediately blurted out the answer.

“This is Andrew and Jane’s house that’s gotta be their aunt Vesta… uh… d-dunno what’s going on though.”

He’d visited his team leader (and one of his best friends) house before so he recognize the living room of the pichu and munchlax twins. He’d also met their mother and gotten to meet their pro battler father once before too so he could recognize them. Which left the only strange being the snorlax woman settled by the roaring fireplace… but he remembered Andrew mentioning his aunt Vesta had come to Viridian as of late so the bear was almost certain that’s who the woman was…

What she was talking about and why she was holding an… odd looking doll as she talked? He had no clue. He could tell she was telling a story but with the spirits standing in the far corner of the room he couldn’t make out what she was saying. As for the doll… he couldn’t tell the species, if he had to guess probably minccino or cinccino, but he could tell it was a doll of an old woman in traditional garb including a headscarf.

“Aaaaaah, I believe she’s regaling her niece and nephew with the story of La Befana~”
“… who?”
“She’s a bit of a Christmas time tradition where Vesta comes from~”
“Oh… g-guessing your an expert on those?”
“Of course~ La Befana is one of several Christmas visitors who come bearing gifts… nice lady, a little obsessive with cleaning, but sweet~”

That comment raised a few questions but Petie knew better than to open that particular Christmas present. Instead he opted to look around the room and properly take it in since he’d been focused on Vesta earlier. A garland and wreath or two on the walls, a moderately large tree decorated with lights and a pleasantly mismatched assortment of ornaments (knowing how Andrew’s dad traveled Petie’s guess was they were from all over the world), and two stockings hung by the roaring fireplace. He was sure the family could likely have gone a lot further with their decorating and celebrating but this somehow felt… right. Warm, cozy, and right for them as he turned his attention to the people in the room.

The parents were snuggled up on the coach… he was pretty sure anyway. Andrew’s dad kinda took up 85 to 90% of the couch and his mom had the rest of it… but the bear was almost certain the raichu and snorlax were snuggling and happily watching the proceedings even as Andrew’s dad’s Christmas sweater looked like it was screaming for mercy as the snorlax’s stomach stretched it. Meanwhile Andrew and Jane were on the floor in christmas themed footed jammies like his, apparently Momma had been right about that sale, listening to their aunt as there was… huh…

“Uh… spirit? What’s all that?”
“Oh-ho-ho~? That~? Well my little friend that is Panettone, that is Pandoro, and that is Torrone~ It seems Vesta knows how to make a few of the traditional Christmas sweets of her homeland… though I do hope Andrew gets some.”
“Jane will share with him… doubt anybody else is getting any though.”

The spirit pointed out two breads Petie didn’t recognize and a white cake like thing all set out in front of the twins on platters from what he could tell… though trying to get a better look would have been hard even if they had been closer. After all… the platters were rapidly emptying as Jane shoveled the food into her mouth with barely enough time to chew and swallow in between handfuls. Though the fact the munchlax was wearing the closest he’d ever seen to a big smile on her face as she did so made the display of gluttony childishly cute rather than anything else. Meanwhile Andrew was busy quietly nibbling on his own modest servings as the pichu was giving Vesta’s story his undivided attention.

“Alas, we cannot stay much longer~ There are many houses to visit before my time is done~”
“… are we gonna visit all my teammates on Christmas?”
“Hooohoho! Of course not~ After all… visiting Jules would just be going back to your house wouldn’t it~?”
“… touche, lead on then Spirit… er… carry on? … you’re not gonna actually put me down are you?”
“Let it never be said you aren’t a clever little lad~ To our next stop!”

****************

Once more looking at a roaring fireplace Petie was otherwise utterly lost as to where the heck they were… even as he heard familiar voices behind them. Turning around the spirit showed him he’d been hearing right as he saw Sammi along with her mother, her aunts, and… huh… he’d never actually seen the quagsire that had to be her father before outside of pictures. This had to be his first time meeting the guy and the only thing the teddiursa could think about was that the smiling salamander had to be wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater he’d ever seen. None of this told him where they were though. The dratini had mentioned her aunts had something planned for Christmas but hadn’t said what exactly…

“Her aunts have rented a little vacation cabin for the holiday so they could all celebrate together it seems~”
“Oooooooh… ‘kay, that makes sense.”
“Ho-ho-ho though it seems some folks aren’t quite getting into the spirit of the holiday~”
“Well… yeah, Sammi’s village doesn’t really do Christmas… she’s still not used to it and I’m sure her mommy is just lost…”
“So you paid attention to what she told you~”
“… she’s my teammate…”

Petie tried not to blush or feel put on the spot as he mumbled that last bit. Despite the spirit’s comment there wasn’t much “little” about the cabin… but considering how massive the two dragonites and the goodra were that was hardly a surprise. The whole cabin was probably like his house, geared for larger species and folks (like Momma, Rose, and James) from the construction all the way up to the furniture. He just wondered if the festive green and red decorations came with the place when they rented it or if they’d hung those up themselves.

As for the family currently sitting around the warm fireplace they were an odd bunch. Sammi was sitting on her mothers lap shifting nervously and staring down at the mug of cocoa she was cupping with both hands for some reason. The dratini was dressed in a slightly oversized (but thankfully less ugly than her fathers) sweater which matched her oversized santa hat that was held up by her head-fin-ear-things (she never gave him a straight answer on what to call those).

Her mother meanwhile, who Petie could still swear looked like she walked out of one of his fantasy video games thanks to her size and muscles, was holding her cocoa mug in one hand while otherwise busy craning her neck around the room to gaze in confusion at the decorations… or trying to gauge if they were threats. He honestly wasn’t sure…

Or at least she did till Sammi’s daddy distracted her with some tail strokes. She turned her attention to the squat and ordinary looking quagsire, how she could look directly at that sweater without her eyes watering the teddy did not know, and cupped a hand under his chin while giving a warm and… uh… she was smiling and… he quickly found something else to look at. Hopefully something that wasn’t quite so awkward to watch…

And seeing Sammi’s aunts barely able to share a couch thanks to their girth and taking turns holding mistletoe over their partners head to use as an excuse to smooch each other was most certainly NOT that thing. Suddenly Sammi staring into her cocoa made perfect sense since if he was in a situation this awkward he’d have opted to run and hide a while back.

“Tis the season of togetherness as they say~ Though maybe under the tree would be more to your liking~?”

The spirit turned a little so Petie could try and see what he meant. The first thing he noticed was the tree was artificial and had either come pre-decorated or was decorated from a set or kit of some kind… he’d had experience with that back in the day. The second thing he noticed was the wagging puppy tail sticking up from the numerous presents under the tree. Followed shortly by the long eared head of Sammi’s furfrou pup Ace peeking up as he was sniffing around the various boxes intently. Finally, after a few moments of sniffing, the pup took hold of the bow on a… familiar present as he start to trot back to the others with box in tow.

Petie didn’t even have to look away from Ace to recognize the soft thump of little feet landing after having slid off somebody’s lap. Sure enough Sammi met the puppy before he got too far and he promptly dropped the present at her feet, looking oh so proud of himself as his tail wagged. Since he had a puppy of his own Petie knew the head rubs and chin scratches Sammi gave the furfrou before turning her attention to the box were mandatory by law. Once the puppy had been given sufficient praise the dratini finally picked up the box and headed back towards the tree with Ace, unconcerned his work was being undone, trotted along behind her.

Up until she actually reach the tree as Petie watched her stop and look at the tag on the present, a look he could only describe as “innocent befuddlement” on her face. Just like when he’d given the present to her when she said she was going away for the Christmas break.

“Hohoho… tell me… is that your name on the From part of the tag I see~?”
“Yeah, all of Pre-K gave each other wrapped presents.”
“And what did you give your dragon friend~?”
“Na gonna spoil it.”
“Hoooohohohoho~ Fair enough, fair enough~ Judging by the look of her she’s not used to finding presents for her under the tree~”
“… can believe that yeah..”

Suddenly aware of motion in the room Petie turned his attention away from the spirit and back to Sammi… just in time to see her quagsire daddy getting to her first. The dratini was distracted sorting through the various present, all of which Petie recognized as ones Pre-K had given her before they parted, and looking at the tags so she’d completely missed him sneaking up on her… till he rubbed her bald head and cuddled her. The teddiursa was used to see Sammi struggle, kick shins, and fight when cuddled… so it was odd seeing her blush and let herself be snuggled as her daddy sat down in front of the tree and pulled her down to sit in his lap.

Not even moments later the ladies joined them. Even sitting the three fully evolved dragons were massive… and each took turns rubbing Sammi’s head making her blush even more, especially when her mommy started to stroke her head fin ear things. To finish it off Ace clumsily hopped, on the third try at least, into the lap of one of Sammi’s aunts (it was the dragonite… Petie honestly couldn’t remember her name) and shoved her head into her paw apparently wanting in on the attention. He got his wish as she gently rubbed his head and he settled in on her lap while keeping his eyes on his little dratini owner… while Sammi just blushed and moved her gaze between the presents and the tree as if trying to puzzle out some secret from it all.

“… Spirit? This is really sweet but Sammi would be upset if I kept watching… and I’d feel bad spying on her family moment if I kept watching too…”
“Ho-ho-ho then come, there is more of Christmas to share~”

****************

This time Petie didn’t have to struggle to place where they were since he’d recognized it immediately. It was the kitchen of the mansion (even if she insisted it wasn’t one) Tabitha was staying in while in Viridian… after all he’d gotten lost and wandered in here once when visiting so he knew what it looked like. Even if he hadn’t seen if before the fact Tabitha was in plain view with her actual family made where they were obvious.

“Ho-ho-ho, a little odd to see a little lady in such a situation don’t you think~?”
“Hush, she’s havin’ fun.”

Petie rolled his eyes since he could tell the Ghosts comment was made in pure jest. He just didn’t wanna interrupt the scene since he knew how much this kind of stuff meant to Tabitha (even as he remembered the people couldn’t see or hear them). The little gothita was in front of a kitchen table, probably standing on a stool to reach, with her machamp nanny and her two minccino maids clustered around her. The spirits comment was likely because-

“O-okay, the doughs rolled out… d-do we do that now~? Cutting the cookies?”
“Uh huh little miss, now we do that step~ Do you have the cookie cutters ladies~?”
“Of course~” “Got them right here~”

He watched the two normal type maids set an assortment of brightly colored and holiday shaped cookie cutters out as the machamp nodded her approval. A sheet of homemade cookie dough was rolled out on the table in front of them and judging by her apron, and the fact she had flour all over her and dough caked hands, Tabitha had played a big part in making that dough. And now was about to eagerly turn it into Christmas cookies ready for baking as she pulled a snowman cutter from the pile and, after looking to her Nana and maids for an approving nod, eagerly plunged it into the dough with the energy and smile of a five year old.

“It is always a joy to see someone enjoying the simple things~”
“She didn’t get to do stuff like this growing up, it means a lot to her.”
“As I’m sure she’s told you… and no comment about if you can lick the spoon or the mixing bowl~?”
“… that’s Tabitha’s job, not gonna take her job.”
“Hoooohohoho~ Good lad~ Come, another Christmas waits~”

****************

“Now lad you won’t find this place familiar-“
“Hold it, question first.”
“Oooohohoho?”
“Why did you suddenly grow a beard? … this… this isn’t one of those things where you age and fade away is it? I dun wa-“
“Hush lad, hush. I’d never make you witness such a thing. The present is fleeting yes but for the here-and-now I am here~ This is a trip of comfort and joy~ I give you my assurance that we shall part long before my time grows short and our goodbye shall be pleasant, of this I promise. It’s why I had a friend watch over Ignorance and Want for this trip after all~”
“… okay… uh… is your fur turning silver too?”
“Hooohoho~ If you remember come morn ask your dear mother about Wyrdeer~ Now… what was I saying? Oh yes! You won’t find this place familiar but-“
“Is it Maddie? She’s the only member of Pre-K we haven’t visited so…”
“It’s cute you’re getting into the spirit enough to interrupt me~ It’s cuter that you’re right~”

Looking around Petie had to agree with the spirit that he’d never seen this place before… but considering Maddie had mentioned she was going back home to Cerulean City and the orphanage her adoptive mother managed that wasn’t a surprise. If he had to guess he’d say it was an older building too going by the wood and stone work making up the walls and the large fireplace. As for where they were… the best term that came to mind was a commons room of some kind with a lot of space where you could set up lots of tables or anything else you’d like.

Such as the Christmas tree taking up the current middle of the room. Looking around he noted the decorations on the wall… specifically that they were as cheap as you could get while still looking nice. He had to imagine this place had a budget. He also immediately noticed everything, aside from the tree, was well out of reach of little hands that might try to pull them down… like the numerous little hands possessed by the assorted crowd of toddlers and kids surrounding the tree and the nearby couch. If he had to guess these were the orphans in question and they were anywhere between 2 and five… maybe six since he remembered Maddie mentioning the orphanage mainly handled younger children.

Speaking of Maddie he finally noticed the miltank herself as she was sitting on the couch with a sack on one side of her and a horde of the youngest of the pack swarming her legs like something out of a zombie movie… if the zombies were diapered, babbling toddlers. Naturally Maddie looked absolutely happy and at peace with the arrangement as she was alternating between doting on the pack of little ones and addressing each one by name as she passed a wrapped present, either pulled from the sack or handed to her, to them before another of the workers led that particular kid away.

This was all about what Petie had expected to see… what caught him off guard was the bouffalant sharing the couch with Maddie. He wasn’t sure what caught him off guard more. That Maddie had brought Ryder to Cerulean with her, that Maddie’s boyfriend had somehow managed to find a stretchy enough santa hat to fit over that afro of his, or how content the guy looked passing presents to Maddie while a mankey kid happily dangled from one of his horns. He had to admit though, the two made an adorable pair… they’d even opted for similar santa style coats for this.

And since Maddie and Ryder were sitting together like a couple in Maddi’s home that most likely made the woman standing behind the couch keeping a close eye on them Maddie’s adopted mother. If he remembered what the miltank had said about her mom. Petie could only think of the word “Matronly” to describe the older Jynx woman who stood there with her hair in a tight bun while she was clad in an apron over a slightly faded Christmas sweater. The look on her slightly wrinkled face shifted between warm and stern as she looked between the numerous children before her… and the two normal types sitting on the couch.

The words “Respectful Courting” came to the teddiursa’s mind, probably from one of the books in Momma’s collection, in relation to this… Christmas or not Maddie’s mom was keeping her eyes on the teenage boy her daughter brought home for the holidays. If the two bovines realized this, and how Ryder couldn’t realize it since even Petie could feel the older womans eyes drilling into him, they certainly didn’t show it as they continued happily pass out presents. They’d worked their way through the toddlers and now it was the slightly older kids turn to line up and…

Form the same kind of eager mob as the toddlers, complete with a few climbing up onto the couch with the two and one kid making a beeline for Ryder’s other horn. Considering Petie worked with similar tykes at his aunt’s orphanage… this didn’t surprise him one bit~

“Hoohoho~ No comment to be made lad~?”
“Naaaaaa, this speaks for itself~ We gonna watch through the whole gift giving?”
“As wonderful as that would be we have a few more stops we must make before our last~ Hold tight to my robe lad, this shall be a winter sleigh ride of a journey~”

****************

Before Petie could question that comment they were off. The best analogy Petie could think of to describe the journey that followed was “A Blizzard in a Christmas Snowglobe being Furiously Shaken by a Toddler” since it was a flurry of travel at a breakneck pace. The spirit seemed to take his “Speaks for itself” comment to heart and opted not to give commentary as Petie honestly couldn’t tell if he stopped moving once as the ghost seemed to just stroll from scene to scene giving Petie just enough time to understand what he was witnessing before they moved on.

There was Christmas Eve at Leanna’s Viridian orphanage… their first Christmas there too as he watched his massive kangaskhan aunt make sure all the kids were enjoying their hot cocoa and cookies as she settled in to read them “Twas the Night Before Christmas” before sending them (or in most cases carrying them) off to bed.

There was his rockruff cousins as he saw the triplets eagerly standing on tippie toes to hang their stockings by the fire. Their wagging tails doing a wonderful job of showing off the colorful christmas diaper covers pulled over their padded bottoms that their nighties did nothing to hide. Their parents and big brothers watching with smiles (and a camera that was almost certainly recording)~

He briefly resisted the urge to frown as he saw his cousin Chester with Aunt Julian and Uncle Harold… at least till he saw the grown-ups were doing there best to distract the chespin from staring at a framed photo of what was likely his late parents. The pang of guilt the teddiursa felt was brief though since by the time the chesnaught and kangaskhan had resorted to tugging the chubby kid off the couch for a cuddle and carrying him over to the tree to look at the presents the spirit had already carried him on…

To a different tree and set of presents as Petie saw his other triplet cousins. The swinubs had, naturally, made pigs of themselves. All three of the boys were dressed in patterned footed jammies that matched aside from their main color (keeping the holiday theme one had red, another blue, and another green). They matched all the way down to their unsnapped butt flaps that left their diaper exposed since all three were essentially comatose under the Christmas tree with their bottoms in the air. The picked clean platter between them having probably been a plate of cookies meant for santa… that their mamoswine mother was in the midsts of replacing without waking her brood of piglets up.

He saw his Aunt Ramona… who was doing some really last minute Christmas wrapping while merrily humming, and he couldn’t tell if she was being ironic or not, “All I want for Christmas is a Hippowdon” all the while. Judging by how the presents were being loaded into a sack rather than under the tree though he had a sneaking suspicion he’d have an early morning visitor bearing gifts on Christmas Day… he hoped none were like the shorts and sweater she gave him earlier but you could never tell with her…

There was so many of other scenes, too many to keep track of, both of friends and family (he already knew he had a lot of distant cousins due to his bastard of a grandfather but he lost count at this point) before it seemed to slow and he found the spirit carrying him through the snowy path that usually marked the transition between places a little longer than normal. By now the spirit had completely transformed though and Petie was sure of one thing…

“Wyrdeer… that’s some kind of stantler evolution isn’t it?”
“[i/]Hoooohoho~ Like I said~ Ask your dear mother, I’m sure she’d enjoy telling her little boy about if for story time~[/i]”
“Ha ha, so… where next? If we’re going to Cody’s I’m not sure we wanna cause-“
“He already has a visitor on this night~”
“It’s his first Christmas with his new family and… what was that?”
“No little one, we have but one stop to make on my leg of this journey~ The most important one~”
“Most important?”
“As you know lad we were to visit another… but it proved unnecessary, so we followed the threads of fate and found you~”
“… uuuuh huh, and that means?”
“We’ve arrived~ … ohohoho… I expected the lights to be on by now actually…”

Blinking Petie found the spirit was right, aside from billowing flames, that distinctly weren’t in a fireplace, the room they’d ended up in was too dark to see most thing clearly. Though considering who the flames were coming off of Petie didn’t have to struggle to guess exactly where they were… which left him even more curious. Of all the places he’d expected to visit to see Christmas cheer this hadn’t been-

“Damn it damn it damn iiiiit… FINALLY!!”

With that… colorful comment the room was suddenly illuminated in colors… by a haphazardly decorated Christmas tree placed clumsily in the corner of the apartment. Revealing it was indeed the place his cousin Barry was staying while he was attending the PCA. His cousin Barry who was still under the tree from apparently getting it plugged in and was backwards crawling his way out. Something that was unfortunately drawing a lot of attention from Barry’s roommates to an article of clothing the cubchoo was wearing.

"FINALLY got the damn tree lit!"
"All the better to see your stufful shorts with~"
"Shuddup Michael!"
"Then why are you wearing 'em~?"
"You shuddup too Francis!"

Petie knew the bright red knit shorts with white dots and elastic green trim Barry had on all too well… he especially knew the stufful popping out of a christmas present knitted on the butt of it (even as Barry’s were riding down to reveal the top of his pull-ups). After all, Aunt Ramona had gotten him a matching pair along with the same, similar patterned christmas sweater his older cousin was wearing and squirming in. Though why his cubchoo cousin was wearing them he had no clu-

“My stupid hippo aunt gave these damn things to me, this way I can tell her I wore ‘em for Christmas next time she asks and can bury ‘em to never see the damn light of day come tomorrow.”

Ooooooh, okay now it made perfect sense to Petie as he watched his cousin tug the shorts back up over his tail. He was probably gonna have to wear his own set come tomorrow when Ramona visited now that he thought about it. All the while Barry padded over to his roommates/friends still pouting and grumbling about his struggle with the lighting.

Michael, the girafarig that had the honor of being Barry’s best friend, was lounging on the couch in just jeans and a candy cane striped sweater. His tail head, Mimi was what they called her if Petie remembered right, meanwhile had a tiny santa hat on and a scarf made to look like a decorated garland wrapped around her “neck” as she happily sucked on her pacifier. The psychic type just grinned as he watched his friend approach… with a grin that was worth a 100 unsaid friendly jabs and teases Barry would have probably returned.

Meanwhile the fire type who’d been illuminating the room before Barry had gotten the tree working clopped over to stop the polar bear cubs retreat to the couch. Francis, a pony of a rapidash by any measure, was clad in just a thick, plain diaper and a candy cane striped sweater to match his cousins as he forced Barry to turn back around and admire the tree. The cheeky grin on the pony’s face showing he knew exactly how annoyed this made his friend/rival… and the fact there wasn’t a single thing Barry was willing to do to stop him~

“Not bad for our first tree huh Barry~?”
“Says the guy who didn’t help plugging in the lights.”
“Right, me and my flaming mane and tail shoulda been under that tree.”
“Bullshit, I know you can control how hot those are.”
“I think your both forgetting I did most of the work decorating it since neither of your stubby little arms could reach~”

That made both the tiny teenages turn to glare at Michael who just gave them another big grin, a warmer one this time… as he flicked on the tv. To Petie’s amazement Barry huffed and didn’t shoot back as he plopped down on the floor… where a plate of cookies and two mugs of what looked like hot chocolate were waiting. Francis joined him seconds later, picking up the second mug, as the rapidash’s cheeky grin had faded to just a warm one like Michaels. Even Barry’s frown and pout seemed to have lost a lot of it’s edge as he sipped noisily from his mug and a time worn Christmas special started.

“Same as every year Barry~?”
“… dunno what you’re implying Michael…”
“So you DON’T know every word to the “I’m Mister White Christmas, I’m Mister Snow” song~?”
“Shuddup!”
“And you DON’T sing it every year when we watch thi-“
“Shuddup!”
“I’m Mister Green Christmas I’m Mister Sun~”
“… shuddup and wait your turn Francis, I go first…”

Petie could feel the big dumb grin on his face as he watched the trio watch the Christmas special. Especially as he saw Barry’s pouting neutral expression edge dangerously close to a smile. He always knew Barry had Christmas spirit in him… his cousin just didn’t like to show it is all. Like a lot of stuff. What the teddiursa hadn’t know was that the polar bear had his own little celebration of the holiday… which begged the question…

“… spirit? Is it okay for me to be watching this?”
“Hooohoho~ We’re the little bear confident this was just a dream earlier~? Where has that lad gone~?”
“W-well, I-“
“Hold that thought a moment lad~”

Before Petie could even let out a “Huh?” of confusion he heard movement as he saw Michael pulling a bag out from next to the couch and grinning as he eyed the back of Barry’s head… the cubchoo somehow knowing what was going on and rolling his eyes even before the girafarig started talking.

“Soooo… you still planning to drop by unannounced at Petie’s tomorrow to deliver these~?”
“Kinda have to, missed my chance today darn it… oh well. Just a present or two is all.”
“… just a present or two, riiiiiight~”
“Shuddup, the specials on!”

Francis let out a whinny like laugh at this as Michael just chuckled and stowed the bag back where he got it while Barry… folded his arms, pouted, and Petie could swear he almost saw his big cousin blushing~

“Hohoho~ Hope I didn’t spoil your cousins surprise there lad~?”
“Please, dream or not I know for a fact Barry’s coming to visit on Christmas day~”
“Such faith you have in him~ Though I can’t say it is not well earned, he did surprise us after all~”
“Huh?”
“But I’m afraid my leg of this journey draws to a close.”

****************

They were once again in the snowy inbetween place that usually passed quickly as he was carried between Christmas scenes but this time the spirit wasn’t moving leaving the snow to wipe through the air around them creating a curtain cutting them off from the rest of the world. He’d already known this was coming since the… wyrdeer? Petie was going to assume the ghost was a wyrdeer now… since he’d made it clear Barry’s Christmas was going to be their final stop on his trip around the present…

That didn’t make this goodbye feel any less saddening though. He’d actually gotten to enjoy the Ghost of Christmas’s Presents company through it all…

“Come now lad, there must always come a time to face the future. Hohoho~ Chin up, it was a fun trip was it not~?”
“… yeah… that’s why I’m sad it’s ending…”
“I know, I know… but such is the way of the world. The present fades into the past and the future comes whether you’re ready for it or not… but I feel you are ready~”

The teddiursa eeped as, for the first time since he’d started this journey with the laughing deer, he found himself set down on his own feet even as they sunk a little ways into the snow. Turning around to look up at the spirit Petie found the glow of the ghost was already starting to fade. Even as the broad, almost fatherly smile on the deer’s face looked like it never would.

“You know the rules lad, three ghosts, three visitors~ You have one last journey to make… and I know you can do it without my accompaniment~”
“… you’re really sure? But I’m just-“
“Just yourself and that’s more than enough lad~ Hohoho~ You’ll be fine, now go~ The final ghost is waiting… so go and know him better lad~ Hooohoho~”

The spirit gave a firm pat to Petie’s diapered bottom making the bear stumble forward… and after a moment keep going. The ghosts warm laughter was still in his ears even as it faded in the air so he opted not to look back to see him fade away as well. Instead he waddled forwards through the snow, the curtain of it seeming to part to let him pass, to find out for himself what exactly was yet to come…


To Be Continued