| The aging manor had been vacant all day, void of all life except for the odd Psimouse living in the walls. A Psimouse crept out of its hole to feed on some unswept meat pie crumbs left behind from the old miser that lived there. It scurried away upon hearing the routine thumping of boots at the front step. The door swung violently open, letting in a harsh winter breeze followed by a weathered old Skeith clad in his worn winter apparel. A quartet of carollers began singing from the street.
"Bah!" The old Skeith slammed the door shut. "Enough of that noise! It's folly anyone who could be cheerful in that miserable weather. Whoever thought of celebrating a cheerful holiday during the coldest time of year should be locked up for good." He hung his jacket up and sat down to rest his legs.
Just then there was a knock at the front door. He was not expecting anyone. He found nothing more irritating than unexpected guests, but before he could get up off of his chair, the door blew open...
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Author: greencheese79
Date: Dec 16th
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...to non other than an equally grumpy looking younger Skeith.
"You promised!" The young Skeith pouted, tromping in without so much as a 'hello'.
"Ah, Bart..." The older Skeith acknowledged, settling back into his comfortably worn armchair. "You're letting in a draft."
Bart swished his tail angrily, using it to slam the door. "Uncle Marty!" He stared pointedly towards the older Skeith. "You said you would be there!"
"Be where?" Marty leaned his head back, resting his eyes closed, completely unbothered by his nephews current state.
Bart let out a long groan, sounding very much like a wounded Spardel. "You don't even remember! You don't care about me at all!"
Marty cracked open an eye, surveying his nephew. "Now Bart." He began, "I am very old and very tired. This season does not agree with me, and I can not be pestered by tiny little remembrances. I'm sorry I could not make it to your... uh... concert?"
Bart frowned "Try again."
Marty now opened both eyes, trying to focus and remember what exactly he had promised to attend. "Dinner party?"
His nephew's frown only deepened in response.
"Well again, I'm old and can't be riddled in this manner, so out with it boy!" Marty could feel his claws begin to clench in frustration.
"You promised you would come to my..."
| Author: skipperjen
Date: Dec 17th |
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"...holiday play!"
The gears suddenly turned in Marty's head, and he found himself sitting up.
Now he remembered.
Bart had pestered him to come to their holiday production at the community auditorium, a sort of school project or other. Marty had indulged his nephew, and listened to the younger Skeith's script - before excusing himself on the pretense of coming down with a cold.
"Ah. Yes. It was entitled...'The Twelve Days of Giving'?"
"No!" Bart said, shaking his head. "It's 'The Twelve Carollers of Giving!'"
Marty tried not to wince as he also remembered that Bart's brainchild also had a lot of cheesy musical numbers. Perhaps it was a good thing that he had entirely forgotten.
"Look, I'm sorry I didn't come see your play," said the old Skeith, trying to sound as sorry as possible. "But I'm sure it was a success..." He gasped as Bart grabbed his claw.
"It's today! It's starting in half an hour!" Bart exclaimed, trying to pull his uncle out from the armchair. "You have time! I even saved you a seat! Come on! Unless you really don't care about me..."
"Bart, calm down! Don't just tug at me like that!" Marty glanced at his armchair longingly, as he tried to think of something. Anything.
Finally, he let Bart lift him onto his feet, and he took a deep breath.
"I'll come to your play," Marty began, "on only one condition..."
| Author: precious_katuch14
Date: Dec 18th |
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"... the better not be any audience involvement."
The younger Skeith let out a whoop, did a little dance turn, and grinned a tiny mischievous smile. "I cannot promise that, uncle! Let's hurry, 25 minutes until curtain!"
The two rushed to the auditorium, and entered with a stream of other audience members. Marty noticed that many waved at Bart, while others looked surprised that Marty himself was in attendance. He had been an active member of the community for years, but the last for years he had become more and more reclusive, only leaving his house for some errands. He shyly waved at some friends from the past, who looked a bit shocked at first but then merrily waved back. Marty found the empty chair while Bart disappeared behind the curtain.
After a short wait, that same curtain rose to reveal a tiny Aisha girl with blue curls. She opened her mouth and sang a beautiful carol about the ghost of Christmas past. She sang of toys under trees, of loving arms of parents, and of hot chocolate in cold hands.
She was then joined by a small Ogrin, who shyly grinned while he added his voice to hers. Together they wove the tale of how a child turns into a teenager, of Christmas spent outside with friends, and of snowball fights.
Yet another joined them on stage ...
| Author: love_eeg
Date: Dec 19th |
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The newcomer, a young Ruki, clapped her hands together with excitement. "This is a song everyone should know!" she chirped. "Feel free to sing along if you know the words!"
The children began to sing a song about a particularly festive tree, and to Marty's horror, some of the people in the audience around him started to join in. Worse, they were holding hands and standing up from their seats!
Marty hunched down in his seat, hoping to be overlooked, but the Gelert and Kougra on either side of him all but hoisted him to his feet and clasped his hands in theirs. He was trapped! Trapped in a sea of carollers! The heat of the room flushed over him, and he could see Bart's smiling face hazily in the distance. There was only one thing he could do...
| Author: ellienib
Date: Dec 20th |
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He sang along quietly with the others, soon forgetting about all of his troubles. When the song ended he was surprised at how he felt. He was strangely relaxed and... having fun?
He decided he definitely could not tell Bart this, or his nephew would drag him to every single event out there. He was already too old and tired for that.
He sat back down and saw Bart beaming at him from the stage before the curtain closed. He then heard an announcement about a ten-minute interval between part one and two. All around him, others got up for the restroom, spoke with their friends, or munched on some snacks.
Before he could think of what to do, the Kougra next to him tapped him on the shoulder.
The young Neopian smiled at him and said...
How will this story end?
| Author: ningkov1
Date: Dec 23rd |
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"You're Bart's uncle, right?"
Marty stood there, stiffly. Who was this? What was her angle? He must have sang too loudly or too poorly or something of the like. This is why the holidays were such a frustrating time...
Of course, he didn't say any of this. What he did say was, "Yes?"
"I'm Sadie, Maya's older sister," she said. "Bart and Maya are good friends, and she comes over to our house a lot. He's always talking about you, and he was really excited for you to come to the show! It's really nice to meet you."
Marty furrowed his brow, taken aback by this. What was Bart doing talking about him to his friends? But it was nice- the Kougra was kind to him in a way that his neighbours and others often weren't. She really noticed him- and was happy he was around.
He felt his heart swell.
"Well, it's good to meet you," he said, shaking the Kougra's paw.
"You know, my parents have a big Day of Giving celebration- if you and Bart, and any of your other family members want to come, we'd love to see you there."
Marty felt the automatic response bubbling up- to say no way, or I don't care, or even bah humbug...But perhaps this was the new leaf that could be turned over in his life.
So instead, he casually replied, "We'll see but I think we're free."
"That's great! It was nice meeting you, Marty!" Sadie said, and stepped back to her seat a couple rows over. She said something to the Kougra couple sitting with her, and they both waved. He returned the wave.
And sitting in the crowd, watching Bart sing his solo, a tear came to Marty's eye for more reasons than just the beautiful music and the pride for his nephew. Maybe the holiday season wasn't so bad after all...
The End.
| Author: teacupandbee
Date: Dec 24th |
