All I want for Christmas Is You

It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Prism Vale. Even under the warm canopy of Viridian’s forests, there was a cold enough chill that the leaves were adorned with frost each morning. But that didn’t stop some beans from getting up early, or halt the diligent decorating everyone had been doing for the season. 

Shops had wreaths on their doors and garland around the windows. Baubles hung along the branches with tinseled-up figures of candy canes and elves below. Strings of lights were hung up along the paths in detailed webs and arches, giving couples a wonder to look at.

The first time Barry went (and every time since) he didn’t even bother to look up as they went along. Hand in hand with Storm, Barry was more than happy to watch the light play off his friend’s face instead as they walked down the tunnel of lights. That smile and awe, that light... Those baby blue eyes were brighter than the Christmas trees at the center of every town. 

Stormfly still flashed his little light nervously when Barry grabbed his hand, but even with mittens on he returned the squeeze. He let himself be steered toward the shops to look at all the little gifts and food on display. There were three-layered cakes made to look like snowmen on one table; little figures on another were enchanted to skate across the icing. Stormy was so intent on the confections’ magic that he didn’t even register the chattering from above him, or the little tinkle of a bell. 

Barry, on the other hand, just leaned in and kissed the distracted flowerling’s dark grey temple. He blinked in time to avoid the bright flash and smiled all the same.

“What was that for?” Stormfly asked, his voice tight as he felt his face warm. 

Barry pointed above them and laughed, “Look up. I got the idea from Kyupi.” Prince clung to the branch above them and twitched his nose at the pair as his ears flicked about. Tied around the white puffball’s neck was a small cluster of mistletoe. “What do ya think?”

Stormfly had his face buried in his hands for a moment before he looked up in shock. “How are you keeping him from eating the berries?”

“They’re fake,” Barry winked. “I also gave him a really good breakfast, and a whole lot of No’s in case he smells or finds the real thing.” Quite pleased with himself, the flowerling waved the bat off to go spread the holiday spirit as he pulled his flickering friend into the dessert shop.

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Door chimes sounded from every corner, each shop bustling with beans going in and out. All around the town square were carollers and beans window shopping for the perfect present;  It felt as if the entire island was alive with the festivities and merriment of the season.

Trapped amidst the revelry, with his staff slung across his shoulders, Hunter did his best to avoid the crowds and choir. He hated shopping, hated the stress of dealing with people. If things had gone differently that morning, he’d have hated being alone in the busy streets. 

“Thanks for coming with me today,” He managed to say over the maddening verses being sung every day. “Miko’s trying to keep the chill out of his MushRoom and Chi…“

“Thank you for bringing me along,” Lesath returned as he adjusted his bags in his arms, naturally filling the conversation as Hunter trailed off, “I needed to get some things, too, and it’s nice to do it with company...”

“I can carry some of that for you, ya know.” Hunter nodded to the armful the mage had without breaking his eye contact with the frosted street below them. 

Some nervous color flashed in the corner of the trapper’s eye, making him look up. “I-i think I’ve got this,” Lee said, uncertain but stubborn even as his tiny stack started to wobble. 

“I know you can do it, but let’s fix it a little,” Hunter suggested, coming to a stop to remove his own burden. He grabbed up several items from the bean. Lesath nodded quietly as together they rearranged the packages into a more orderly manner. The trapper felt his mask warm unbearably as he was nearly pulled out of his glove handing the gifts back. “Got it all?”

“Yeah, thank you, Hunter,” Lesath murmured behind his arm full of supplies. In a small quiet spell between carols, the would-be mage could make out the distinct sound of a bell above them. “What’s that?”

The jingling was unlike the stationary bells rang by beans or the wind, and the chatter that accompanied it was unmistakable. “You little pest!” Hunter roared as he caught sight of green leaves and bright red berries around the bat’s neck.

Prince perked his ears in surprise as the dark bean shot up toward him. Spreading his wings, the bat glided to the large Christmas tree in the center of the square. Hunter zipped around but was unable to locate the winged-rodent among the baubles and tinsel. Frustrated, he turned his back on the tree and realized he had left Lesath standing awkwardly by himself.

Hunter wanted to press into the painful pine needles behind him to hide. Instead, he sucked in a cold breath of air and he flew back to his waiting friend. “Sorry, I don’t want any of that fake stuff around.” Midway through his apology, he was caught off guard by the patient look of the mage. “Um.”

“Fake stuff?” Lesath gave a small prompting when he noticed the dark bean falter. “I thought mistletoe was supposed to bring good luck?”

Hunter shook his head as he picked up his staff. “Nah, the whole thing isn’t a real superstition. It’s more a way for guys to get permission to kiss whoever they wanted. You remove a berry for every kiss and when your sprig is empty you’re done.” He began to lead Lesath around the tree and onto the path to the between island carrier sleds.

“Oh,” Lesath struggled to make his nod obvious behind his packages. “Why do people say it’s good luck then?”

Hunter nudged a box back into place as they went. “I kinda tuned it all out after a while. Momma Kyupi was way too excited to hang it all up around her place.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to start the new year with some luck...” Lesath trailed off quietly before he noticed Hunter looking back at him questioningly. “Eh? W-Well, I've been meaning to tell you... I did some thinking, and… I think I might step down from being Amethyst's apprentice.”

“Why?”  The dark bean stopped in his tracks at the end of the path and nearly bumped with the overburdened bean. The Bird Bus wasn’t there yet, so he dropped his own things to help unpack the mage. “Did something happen?”

“Nothing like that!" Lesath said quickly, taken aback by the trapper's tone. "I just wanted to sorta start over. I-i’ve never been good with the same magic as Miss Amethyst, so it… I just really thought it might be good to reset, and... Study with you maybe-"

"You mean you would help me?" Hunter asked not really understanding the bean's motives. Sure Lesath had struggled a bit with his mentor’s training, but he’d been working with her for so long at this point that Hunter figured he must be almost done. And yet… Here he was, announcing that he would scrap all of that in order to start over? He found it hard to look at the aurora bean in front of him. The bright light radiating off him reflected on the snow in a way that made him glow even more than his normal aura. "You would do that?"

"Of course, i-if you want me to help-" Lesath was cut off as Hunter grabbed his hand and tugged him away from the waiting zone. The horned bean had spotted that pesky parasitic plant growing in a nearby tree. “W-where are we going?”

“To get us some good luck,” Hunter muttered as he positioned the white bean under the tree and fiddled with his mask. Once his face was free he realized just how warm his cheeks were when the shockingly cold air hit him. He all but froze with his wide white eyes staring at the beanling opposite him as his mind went as blank as the snow.

Lesath looked up with a soft ‘Oh’ as he recognized the ripening pink and red berries among the treetops. “I thought you said it was made up?”

Hunter had to blink twice before he could meet the bean’s eyes. “Yeah, well, it probably is, but-” He fumbled for an explanation that would justify his change of heart,  “Some people say it’s bad luck if you don’t do it, and if you’re going to be starting over- I thought we could do with a better year next year so… Whatever. It can’t hurt, right?”

With a nod and a shy smile, Lee leaned in and the two exchanged a pair of quick pecks on the cheek. “Better safe than sorry.” 

Not a moment after, the wind picked up suddenly as the sound of wings beating hard could be heard. Hunter threw himself against the other bean on instinct and pinned him to the tree as a large bird soared overhead. Tree branches shook as the runners of a sled collided with them, and knocked loose some stubborn snow. As the Bird Bus landed in the clearing beside the lighthouse, Hunter danced around screaming about the onslaught of cold that had coated him as Lesath sighed against the bark.