109 [Ya-ya-yah] 12foc #8 Mistelten Magi: Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne
Title: Mistelten Magi: Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne
Author: Macy (macymacymacy)
Beta: Jan (gwynfryd)
Characters: Ya-ya-yah
Genre: Friendship, Fantasy, Slice of Life, Christmas
Rating: G
Summary: It all started with the damn mistletoe.
AN:
-inspired by a Harry Potter fanfic and Nickelback's PV Savin' Me.
-this is also a fic for Shoon's birthday. Happy Birthday!!
-AU. High school Ya-ya-yah. Horikoshi here is a boarding school.
-standard disclaimers applied.
---
Shoon flipped a page. It was Christmas eve... just your average day.
Shoon flipped another page. He was currently in their common room at their dorm, sitting on the most comfortable love seat the world has ever known. He didn't went home for the holidays. Christmas doesn't really mean much to him.
The door opened to the common room and someone entered. Shoon didn't look up. Surely it was just one of those who didn't go home as well. It was either Taiyou, Yabu or Hikaru.
It turned out it was Taiyou. He sat right beside him. Shoon still didn't looked up from his book.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
Shoon resisted to roll his eyes. "Reading."
"Reading what? We don't have homeworks. It's Christmas." Taiyou pointed out.
"Just reading. It's not a crime. Why don't you try it? You don't seem busy." Shoon said, eyes still on his book.
Taiyou shrugged and took one book from the table. The thinnest one, with all the colorful drawings. Shoon inwardly sighed.
"The Little Match Girl." Taiyou read out loud. He opened the book and Shoon thought he'd have peace at last.
"Hey, Shoon, look." Taiyou said after just a minute. Shoon didn't respond.
"Look! There's a mistletoe!" Taiyou said excitedly. From Shoon's peripheral view, he could see the younger boy pointing upward.
"I don't really care." Shoon said.
"C'mon Shoon! Just look!" Taiyou insisted.
And then Shoon realized.
So that's Taiyou's agenda. "Taiyou, I'm completely comfortable in my seat. I will not fall for that and leave this comfortable sofa." He said, still not looking away from his book. But he had stopped reading a while ago.
They'd always fight over the sofa- all of the boys staying in this dorm. It was just unrealistically comfortable to sit there.
"Shoon~" Taiyou pouted. "I'm not telling you to give me your seat. I'm serious! There's really a mistletoe right above us."
Shoon sighed, and he finally looked up. Surely there was a mistletoe. What was a mistletoe doing there?
"Taiyou," Shoon said tentatively, "If you want me to kiss you, I'm telling you that would never happen." He deadpanned.
Taiyou laughed. "Thank God."
"Is that a mistletoe?" They heard someone say from the door. It was Hikaru.
"It is!" He said. "Guys, you know what this means!" He teased.
Shoon rolled his eyes.
"Guys, I made some hot chocolate. Want some?" It was Yabu. He came from the kitchen holding a mug of chocolate.
"Look, Yabu! There's a mistletoe right on top of Shoon and Taiyou!" Hikaru said.
"Huh? How did a mistletoe get there? Did you put up decorations?" Yabu asked, completely missing Hikaru's point.
Hikaru shrugged. "Maybe there's a tree branch? It's by the window. Inoo-chan said mistletoes are hemiparasitic to trees. I think there's an oak tree by there. Inoo-chan also said they're commonly found in oak trees." he said.
"I don't see any branch." Yabu said. "Maybe it's a magical mistletoe. The Greeks believe they were mystical. And that they were the sign of peace that's why the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe began. Ma-chan told me so." he said.
"You two..." Shoon said, sounding exasperated. "Stop hanging around Inoo-chan and Ma-chan."
"Maybe it's fake?" Taiyou suggested, and he reached out a hand to touch the mistletoe.
"Wait, Inoo-chan said some of them are poisonous!" Yabu said but Taiyou had already touched the mistletoe. He withdrew his hands at what Yabu said but he'd accidentally pull the mistletoe.
The mistletoe dropped on the floor and suddenly there was a flash of light.
The light faded.
And the room turned silent...
as no one was occupying the room.
---
"Hikaru... Hikaru..."
Hikaru groaned. He didn't know what happened but his head was aching. He opened his eyes and saw Yabu's panicked face.
He sat up. "What happened?" he said weakly.
"I don't know. But something is definitely wrong." Yabu said and then he gestured for Hikaru to look around.
Only then did Hikaru noticed that they were in a deserted street. It was night and the snow was falling.
"Where are we?" Hikaru said. He was starting to panic too.
Yabu shook his head.
"And there's something more," Yabu said and then he'd raise his hand and touched the tree.
Hikaru's eyes widen. Yabu’s hand did not touch the tree. It went right through it!
"Hikaru..." Yabu said as if on the verge of tears. And Hikaru didn't know how and why but he knew Yabu's next words.
"Are we dead?"
---
Shoon felt very tired. He didn't know why, but he was just so worn out.
What had happened? Why is he exhausted?
Shoon opened his eyes expecting to see the ceiling of his dorm room.
He was startled to see the dark sky, and snowflakes softly falling on his face.
He was outside?
He sat up. He was in a busy street. There were many people but no one was looking his way.
He couldn't believe it. He didn't feel cold at all. He looked at his clothes and for sure, he was just wearing a shirt and his pajama pants.
He stood up carefully. He didn't recognize the place…
He tried to remember the last thing that happened.
Taiyou, the mistletoe, the light... It doesn't make sense!
He looked around, and only then did he notice something- well, another weird thing.
The people around him... There were... numbers? There were numbers on top of their head, and it keeps on changing, like time... like it was seconds.
Where the hell is he??
He must be dreaming. That must be it.
He closed his eyes. He'd wake up when he opened his eyes, and he'll finally see his ceiling.
He opened his eyes and groaned. He wanted to stomp like a toddler. He was still there.
He decided he'll walk around first. Find out where he is.
He couldn't help staring at the numbers. Everyone has them. He didn't know what they were though.
He'd look into a mirror by the store and was a bit relieved he didn't have numbers on top of his head.
He walked and walked. Some streets were deserted, some were busy. He didn't know where he was. Everywhere was foreign to him.
He was sure of one thing though, it was Christmas eve. There were Christmas decorations everywhere and little kids singing carols. Everyone was annoyingly merry.
He'd pass by one house though, and it was gloomy. He'd look inside curiously and saw an old woman on her bed with her family around her.
The old woman smiled at them.
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One woman bursts into tears.
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A man went near the woman and hugged her.
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The woman on the bed closed her eyes.
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She heaved a sighed.
00.00
And Shoon knew she was no more.
The number faded.
"No way..." Shoon muttered. "The numbers? A person's time?"
---
Taiyou felt as if he'd been clogged by a baseball bat on the head. It was aching so much.
But someone was poking him.
"Wake up..."
Taiyou opened one eyes and was surprised to see a pair of blue eyes staring down at him.
He let out a scream. He was dazed. He didn't know what had happened.
He sat up. He looked around.
He was in a dark street. But he didn't know what street. Frankly, it didn't looked anywhere in Tokyo.
"Are you okay, sir?" He heard.
He looked back. It was a young girl, maybe about five years old, with bright blue eyes and curly brown hair.
"Y-yeah..."
"Are you cold? I'm so sorry, but I only have this." The little girl said, giving Taiyou her shawl.
Taiyou saw her shiver.
"I'm not cold." he said firmly, returning the shawl to the young girl.
And Taiyou realized how weird that was. He really isn’t cold. It was a dark and cold night- well, looking from his surroundings. The snow was falling fast. He didn't wear anything but his pajamas, but he didn't feel cold at all.
He tried to touch the snow on the ground. It wasn't cold. What was happening?
"Uhm, where are we?" Taiyou asked the girl.
The little girl smiled at him and Taiyou couldn't help but think the little girl was so cute. She had a dimple. "We're in Assistens Cemetery. Did you fall asleep? Were you visiting someone?"
---
Hikaru slowly stood up. "Ah... I don't know, Yabu. If we're dead, how come we're here? Where are we, by the way?"
'I haven't been here before.'
Hikaru blinked.
Yabu shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think I've been here before." He said glancing around with a worried look on his face.
There it was again. It was as if he'd heard Yabu answered before he'd even said the words.
'Hikaru, Yabu and Shoon! Are they here?'
Hikaru glanced around and saw a silhouette.
"Yabu! Someone's there! Let's go!" he said, running towards the shadow and dragging a confused Yabu with him.
---
Shoon ran at the scene. He didn't want to see that. Someone had died in front of him. And he'd seen the... He sped up, he didn't want to think about that. He didn't know what had happened to him or where the hell he was.
He'd stop by a park, it seems. He touched his head. Maybe he was going insane. Hallucinating... maybe he was dead!
He heard some movements. He looked around at once.
It was only a guy with a little girl.
He blinked. He took a closer look.
The guy... the guy didn't have numbers on his head.
He slowly stood up and followed the guy.
---
"Taiyou!" Hikaru called and Taiyou looked in front of him, relieved surging to him at the familiar voice.
"Hikaru! Yabu!" he called. "Thank God."
The little girl tugged at him. He looked at her.
"What is it?" she asked.
"They're my friends." He said pointing at the two who were fast approaching them.
The little girl looked towards the two. She seems confused.
The two were finally with them.
"Taiyou! Thank God! Do you know where we are?" Hikaru asked.
"I don't know. Little Maki here said we're in Copenhagen City." Taiyou said.
"Copenhagen?!! That's Denmark! I'm sure Inoo-chan said that! We're in Denmark??" Yabu asked, aghast.
---
Shoon saw two other boys nearing the guy and the little girl. With a surge of relief maybe, he'd push forward to approach them.
"Yabu! Taiyou! Hikaru!" He called, and the three of them looked at him. He saw them smile in relief, too.
Shoon realized that the other two didn't have numbers on their head as well. He was thankful for that.
Shoon saw the little girl tugged on Taiyou's sleeve.
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The girl had numbers on her head.
---
Shoon approached them and Taiyou sighed in relieved. Now there's something familiar. That's good.
The little girl tugged on Taiyou again. "I understand now! You have imaginary friends! Can you introduce them?"
Taiyou looked at her, surprised. "Imaginary friends? No, these are my friends. Real friends. This is Hikaru, Yabu and Shoon." He said to the girl pointing at his friends.
The girl looked at him for a while and then smiled. "Hi there, I'm Makie." she said to the boys but she was looking at the wrong direction.
"She... she can't see us." Hikaru said.
"What?" Shoon said.
"She can't see us. She can only see Taiyou." Hikaru said. "I... I don't know how, but I'm sure about it. She thinks Taiyou is just playing with her."
"How can that be?" Yabu asked. "So we're really dead? But why are we in Denmark? And why can she see Taiyou and why am I not cold? And why can I pass through things and Hikaru can't? And--"
"What do you mean we're in Denmark?" Shoon asked. "And you can pass through things?"
Yabu nodded grimly and then touched Hikaru... or not... his hand went right through Hikaru. And then he pointed at Makie. "She said we're in Copenhagen... That's capital city of Denmark."
Shoon looked at Hikaru.
"Yeah.. I think so..." Hikaru said before Shoon could even utter a word.
"You... you read minds or something??" Shoon asked. He was really dizzy now. What the hell happened to them??
"That's what you were doing?" Yabu looked at Hikaru. He sighed. "I would have thought this is cool... but no... it's not. It's freaky. What the hell happened? I can only remember the bright light."
"The mistletoe!" Hikaru and Shoon said at the same time.
"So it was really a magic mistletoe??" Taiyou said.
Shoon sighed. "I wouldn't have believed it, but how can you explain what's happening to us..?"
"We might be dreaming..." Yabu suggested.
"This is a very vivid and realistic dream then." Shoon said.
Little Makie tugged on Taiyou again. "Taiyou... can we go now?" she asked. "I need to sell this before I come home. No one has bought any since earlier..." she said pointing at her basket and she tried to smile even though it was clear she was worried.
"She... she needs to sell all of them. Or his drunkard step-father would... he would beat her up." Hikaru said.
"What?!" Taiyou said, a little angry. The little girl was very nice. He'd never thought anyone would hurt her.
Makie looked up at him, surprised at his outburst. She seemed to cringe away from him.
"I... It's okay i-if you don't--"
"No." Taiyou said quickly, smiling at the little girl. "I'm sorry. I mean, I'll help you sell. What is it we're selling?" he asked the little girl crouching down and patting her on her head.
The girl smiled at him. Taiyou took her hand and started walking, letting the girl lead him.
"Taiyou." Shoon said, "What are you doing? We don't even know what happened to us!"
He didn't reply but Hikaru said. "I agree with Taiyou. We can't just leave her."
"I want to help her, too. But shouldn't we help ourselves as well?" Shoon asked.
"It'll be just for a little while. Let's help her for now. We don't know what to do about our situation anyway." Yabu said.
Shoon didn't reply. Truthfully, he did want to help, too. But he was scared of what had happened to him- to them.
Slowly, he followed his three friends.
---
Taiyou and Makie had been trying to sell for at least half an hour now but no one was buying their matches. And that was when Shoon noticed.
10.03
Her number suddenly dropped.
He didn't know what he was doing but he ran for the little girl and tackled her back.
Then two carriages pass by where she was standing a second ago.
Shoon was thankful that even though she couldn't see him, he was able to save her.
"Are you okay?" Taiyou ran towards Makie.
She just nodded, shocked. "J-just c-clumsy... M-my slippers..." she said.
Taiyou then saw a little boy picking up one of her slippers.
"Thank you." Taiyou said holding up his hand but then the little boy grinned and ran away, taking the slipper with him.
"Hey!!!" Taiyou said, outraged. He was about to run for him but Makie stopped him. "It's okay Taiyou..."
"But you're slippers... Aren't your feet cold?" he asked in concern.
"It's okay..." she lied. Taiyou can see her feet were red from the cold.
He took off his own slippers and put it on the little girl's feet. "It's a bit big for your feet but this'll do for now..." he said smiling at the little girl.
"Taiyou... what about you?" The girl said, worriedly.
"I don't feel cold." Taiyou said honestly. "You don't have to worry."
The little girl still looked worried.
"By the way, how did you know the carriage was coming?" Yabu asked Shoon. Shoon didn't reply.
"He... he can see one's numbers..." Hikaru said, half-amazed, half-scared. "He saw her numbers dropped… meaning she almost d-died."
"You should have run after the boy." Shoon said to Taiyou, trying to change the subject.
"I know." Taiyou said.
The little girl looked at him. Taiyou sighed. It was a bit inconvenient that everyone else but him doesn't see the other three boys.
"I thought I should have run after him." He said.
"No, it's good you didn't. And you shouldn't be mad about him, it's Christmas after all." The girl said, smiling.
"What's so great about Christmas?" Shoon said aloud. Truthfully, he was miffed about the boy. Why pick on someone so helpless like her?
"She's Christian." Hikaru answered for the girl. "This day is very important for her. She doesn't understand much, but her faith is strong."
"That's freaky, you know... answering like that." Yabu commented.
"And what you're doing is not?" Hikaru shot back at Yabu whose hand was through a stone statue. It seems Yabu himself didn't notice.
"It's time for loving and giving." Makie continued.
"But that wasn't love, the thing he did." Taiyou said.
"What's important is that you yourself love. Giving is more important that receiving. Thank you for the slippers, Taiyou." she said. And then she stood up and pick up her basket and matches.
That's when Shoon realized.
"She's the little match girl!" he said to the two boys.
"She is?" Yabu said. "The little match girl but then..."
Hikaru heard his thought... "So... so... she'll-" he gulped, "..die?"
"She can't!" Taiyou said. Little Makie-didn't hear him for she resumed trying to sell matches to the passing people. But the people became fewer and fewer.
"We know what will happen." Shoon said trying to sound indifferent. "We're just visitors here, I think. We shouldn't intervene much more."
Taiyou's face hardens.
No one was passing by now. There was only the five of them there. Two in little Makie’s eyes.
"Maki-chan." Taiyou said. "Everyone went home now, I think. It is Christmas after all..."
The girl looked down the ground.
"She doesn't want to go home." Hikaru said. "She's scared of her step-father."
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'That's a very short time.' Shoon mused. He felt useless.
Hikaru didn't say anything but it seems he couldn't look at any of them. The other two didn't seem to notice.
"Let's go somewhere... where do you wanna go?" Taiyou asked the little girl.
"Oh, I wanna visit the old church! We need to greet Jesus! It'll be his birthday soon!" The girl said.
Taiyou smiled at her and let her lead the way.
---
It was really an old church. Abandoned, by the looks of it. But there were still pews inside and some other things. Taiyou figured this was better than nothing. It was still shelter. At least the little girl wouldn't be showered with more snow. Maybe the place was a little warmer than outside, too.
The little girl ran inside the church. The four boys watched.
She went towards the little figurine by the altar. It was of a child Jesus. She smiled at it and said, "Happy Birthday!"
She looked back at Taiyou. Taiyou approached the figurine and greeted it as well.
Little Makie smiled.
"I don't have a gift for him..." The girl said, her smile fading but then her face lifted again and said.
"I know! I'll play a song for him!"
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She went towards the old organ lying by the side.
It looked ancient but she'd opened it anyway. It was obvious she had been there before.
She'd try the keys and smiled when it was still playing.
She started playing a mellow song.
And then she started singing.
"Spend all your time waiting for that second chance
For the break that will make it okay
There's always some reason to feel not good enough?
And it's hard at the end of the day"
The boys watched. The little girl's hand swept through the organs. There were some mistakes, but she really plays well. She sings well, too. She still couldn't pronounce some of the words correctly, but anyone would understand them.
"Her mom taught her." Hikaru found himself saying. It was just something he felt he needed to tell them. He could see it in Makie’s mind. "Before she died. Also the words. She doesn't understand them, but she knows them by heart. It's her favorite song. Her mom always sang it for her."
"I need some distraction, oh beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
They may be empty and weightless, and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight."
The little girl's voice sound melancholy. As if she's lulling them all to sleep.
"In the arms of an Angel, fly away from here...
From this dark, cold hotel room..."
The little girl suddenly stopped playing.
And Shoon's heart took a leap when he realized...
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The little girl shivered.
"It became so cold." she whispered, hugging herself.
Taiyou's eyes widen.
"I know, let's open a match. That'll warm us up." she said.
She took out a matchbox. She opened one and a flame flicker to life. The girl smiled and then she moved the match towards Taiyou, as if to share the heat.
"I'm not cold!" Taiyou said, moving the match back to her. But the movement blew the fire out.
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"Oh," the girl said. She took another stick and scratched it through the stone ground. A fire flicker once more.
She'd place it in between her and Taiyou once more.
"Maki, please. I'm not cold. You should keep it closer to you. To warm you up." Taiyou said, carefully pushing the little girl's hand back to her.
But again, the fire went out.
Yabu started tearing up. He knew what's about to happen.
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She picked the box again and now took three match sticks. She scratched it but no fire flicker, she'd try again.
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Shoon couldn't take it anymore.
"Taiyou carry her! I know where the doctor lives!" He shouted. He had seen him earlier when he was running around.
Taiyou did as he was told. He carried the little girl to his arm. He wished that at least his body warmth could warm her somehow. He doubts it as he himself can't feel the surely cold girl, but he hoped.
"Taiyou..?" Makie said. Her voice sounded weak and her eyelids were dropping.
"Maki-chan, don't sleep okay? Try not to sleep." Taiyou said as they ran with Shoon leading the way.
They ran and ran and finally they were in front of the house. But all the lights were closed. This didn't stop them though. All four of them pound on the door asking for help. Yabu all but pass through the door, intending to find the doctor.
They pounded and pounded. But no one was answering.
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Yabu had found the doctor on his bed. He was asleep. He couldn't hear them for there were no sounds save for Taiyou's. But Taiyou couldn't knock much, he was holding onto little Makie.
Yabu tried everything but he couldn't wake the doctor up. He just went through everything!
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Hikaru's tears started falling. Why couldn't he do anything at all????
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Shoon looked at the little girl. it was less than two minutes now. He pounded more. A little stronger. Please, please, anyone help this little girl.
And then he'd notice.
His hands... they were fading...
He looked at Taiyou and Hikaru. It was the same for them.
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He realized now. Makie’s time... is also their time in this world.
He pounded and pounded.
‘Please. If there's really a Christmas miracle, please. Save Makie!’
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Taiyou started crying as well. He stopped pounding on the door and just hugged Makie to him.
He can't stand it. Why did this have to happen?!
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"Taiyou..." Makie whispered. "You're warm..."
Taiyou looked at her. "And I see your friends now, too."
Taiyou's eyes widen.
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"Ma--"
There was a bright light.
00.00
A little girl is lying on the snow cold in front of a humble home, unconscious.
---
Shoon opened his eyes and saw their Christmas tree in their common room.
They were back. He was sure of it.
He looked around. Yabu, Taiyou and Hikaru were all stirring as well.
Yabu was the first to sit up.
"Makie!" he shouted. He looked around and then he burst into tears. Hikaru and Taiyou both sat up, too.
Shoon was sure he saw tears fall from their eyes as well.
He felt moisture in his eyes.
He was crying as well.
They were silent for a while. They all knew it wasn't a dream. They didn't care much about that anymore.
Finally, Shoon stood up. He couldn't mope all night. He needed to do something. Anything.
But then he saw the book Taiyou took earlier.
'The Little Match Girl'
Unconsciously, he took the book.
He opened it and looked through it. He flipped and flipped, relieving what had happened in every page.
And then it was the last page.
And his eyes widen.
"Guys..." he croaked.
The other three looked up.
He pointed to the book. The three looked at it, and they silently read together.
'In the dawn of morning there lay the poor little one, with pale cheeks and smiling mouth, leaning against the wall; the doctor had thought she had been frozen to death, but no. The child was still holding for her life. The doctor had carried the girl inside his home and care for her. The child lied on the soft, warm bed, holding the matches in her hand, one bundle of which was burnt. “She tried to warm herself,” said some. No one imagined what beautiful things she had seen, and what more beautiful things she would see in the future.'
Hikaru and Taiyou now openly cried; out of relief, Shoon was sure.
He felt like crying as well.
The clock stroke midnight, and as if it was a cue, everyone's phone rang. It was everyone's family greeting them a Merry Christmas.
Shoon smiled at the book. He still hadn't let go of it.
He flipped another page and saw the familiar smile of the little girl.
He smiled while looking at her, feeling very happy just then. For the first time in a long time, without the thoughts of gifts, or snow, or carols, or decorations- things that never did made him feel anything except maybe exasperation, but now he feels it really is Christmas.
It was as if the little girl opened a light with a match and enlightened him about what Christmas really is about.
The little girl selling matches had brought him Christmas.
"Merry Christmas, Makie." he murmured and then he closed the book.
END.
AN:
-Makie- a Danish name. I used it cause when I was little my favorite uncle used to call me 'Maki' instead of 'Macy.'
-I hope I did that alright. It was hard to describe each scene. I have it clear in my head, but I don't know if I made it clear with my words.
-'Mistelten Magi: Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne' just means 'Magic Mistletoe: The Little Match Girl' The original story is in Danish...
Author: Macy (macymacymacy)
Beta: Jan (gwynfryd)
Characters: Ya-ya-yah
Genre: Friendship, Fantasy, Slice of Life, Christmas
Rating: G
Summary: It all started with the damn mistletoe.
AN:
-inspired by a Harry Potter fanfic and Nickelback's PV Savin' Me.
-this is also a fic for Shoon's birthday. Happy Birthday!!
-AU. High school Ya-ya-yah. Horikoshi here is a boarding school.
-standard disclaimers applied.
---
Shoon flipped a page. It was Christmas eve... just your average day.
Shoon flipped another page. He was currently in their common room at their dorm, sitting on the most comfortable love seat the world has ever known. He didn't went home for the holidays. Christmas doesn't really mean much to him.
The door opened to the common room and someone entered. Shoon didn't look up. Surely it was just one of those who didn't go home as well. It was either Taiyou, Yabu or Hikaru.
It turned out it was Taiyou. He sat right beside him. Shoon still didn't looked up from his book.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
Shoon resisted to roll his eyes. "Reading."
"Reading what? We don't have homeworks. It's Christmas." Taiyou pointed out.
"Just reading. It's not a crime. Why don't you try it? You don't seem busy." Shoon said, eyes still on his book.
Taiyou shrugged and took one book from the table. The thinnest one, with all the colorful drawings. Shoon inwardly sighed.
"The Little Match Girl." Taiyou read out loud. He opened the book and Shoon thought he'd have peace at last.
"Hey, Shoon, look." Taiyou said after just a minute. Shoon didn't respond.
"Look! There's a mistletoe!" Taiyou said excitedly. From Shoon's peripheral view, he could see the younger boy pointing upward.
"I don't really care." Shoon said.
"C'mon Shoon! Just look!" Taiyou insisted.
And then Shoon realized.
So that's Taiyou's agenda. "Taiyou, I'm completely comfortable in my seat. I will not fall for that and leave this comfortable sofa." He said, still not looking away from his book. But he had stopped reading a while ago.
They'd always fight over the sofa- all of the boys staying in this dorm. It was just unrealistically comfortable to sit there.
"Shoon~" Taiyou pouted. "I'm not telling you to give me your seat. I'm serious! There's really a mistletoe right above us."
Shoon sighed, and he finally looked up. Surely there was a mistletoe. What was a mistletoe doing there?
"Taiyou," Shoon said tentatively, "If you want me to kiss you, I'm telling you that would never happen." He deadpanned.
Taiyou laughed. "Thank God."
"Is that a mistletoe?" They heard someone say from the door. It was Hikaru.
"It is!" He said. "Guys, you know what this means!" He teased.
Shoon rolled his eyes.
"Guys, I made some hot chocolate. Want some?" It was Yabu. He came from the kitchen holding a mug of chocolate.
"Look, Yabu! There's a mistletoe right on top of Shoon and Taiyou!" Hikaru said.
"Huh? How did a mistletoe get there? Did you put up decorations?" Yabu asked, completely missing Hikaru's point.
Hikaru shrugged. "Maybe there's a tree branch? It's by the window. Inoo-chan said mistletoes are hemiparasitic to trees. I think there's an oak tree by there. Inoo-chan also said they're commonly found in oak trees." he said.
"I don't see any branch." Yabu said. "Maybe it's a magical mistletoe. The Greeks believe they were mystical. And that they were the sign of peace that's why the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe began. Ma-chan told me so." he said.
"You two..." Shoon said, sounding exasperated. "Stop hanging around Inoo-chan and Ma-chan."
"Maybe it's fake?" Taiyou suggested, and he reached out a hand to touch the mistletoe.
"Wait, Inoo-chan said some of them are poisonous!" Yabu said but Taiyou had already touched the mistletoe. He withdrew his hands at what Yabu said but he'd accidentally pull the mistletoe.
The mistletoe dropped on the floor and suddenly there was a flash of light.
The light faded.
And the room turned silent...
as no one was occupying the room.
---
"Hikaru... Hikaru..."
Hikaru groaned. He didn't know what happened but his head was aching. He opened his eyes and saw Yabu's panicked face.
He sat up. "What happened?" he said weakly.
"I don't know. But something is definitely wrong." Yabu said and then he gestured for Hikaru to look around.
Only then did Hikaru noticed that they were in a deserted street. It was night and the snow was falling.
"Where are we?" Hikaru said. He was starting to panic too.
Yabu shook his head.
"And there's something more," Yabu said and then he'd raise his hand and touched the tree.
Hikaru's eyes widen. Yabu’s hand did not touch the tree. It went right through it!
"Hikaru..." Yabu said as if on the verge of tears. And Hikaru didn't know how and why but he knew Yabu's next words.
"Are we dead?"
---
Shoon felt very tired. He didn't know why, but he was just so worn out.
What had happened? Why is he exhausted?
Shoon opened his eyes expecting to see the ceiling of his dorm room.
He was startled to see the dark sky, and snowflakes softly falling on his face.
He was outside?
He sat up. He was in a busy street. There were many people but no one was looking his way.
He couldn't believe it. He didn't feel cold at all. He looked at his clothes and for sure, he was just wearing a shirt and his pajama pants.
He stood up carefully. He didn't recognize the place…
He tried to remember the last thing that happened.
Taiyou, the mistletoe, the light... It doesn't make sense!
He looked around, and only then did he notice something- well, another weird thing.
The people around him... There were... numbers? There were numbers on top of their head, and it keeps on changing, like time... like it was seconds.
Where the hell is he??
He must be dreaming. That must be it.
He closed his eyes. He'd wake up when he opened his eyes, and he'll finally see his ceiling.
He opened his eyes and groaned. He wanted to stomp like a toddler. He was still there.
He decided he'll walk around first. Find out where he is.
He couldn't help staring at the numbers. Everyone has them. He didn't know what they were though.
He'd look into a mirror by the store and was a bit relieved he didn't have numbers on top of his head.
He walked and walked. Some streets were deserted, some were busy. He didn't know where he was. Everywhere was foreign to him.
He was sure of one thing though, it was Christmas eve. There were Christmas decorations everywhere and little kids singing carols. Everyone was annoyingly merry.
He'd pass by one house though, and it was gloomy. He'd look inside curiously and saw an old woman on her bed with her family around her.
The old woman smiled at them.
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One woman bursts into tears.
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A man went near the woman and hugged her.
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The woman on the bed closed her eyes.
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She heaved a sighed.
00.00
And Shoon knew she was no more.
The number faded.
"No way..." Shoon muttered. "The numbers? A person's time?"
---
Taiyou felt as if he'd been clogged by a baseball bat on the head. It was aching so much.
But someone was poking him.
"Wake up..."
Taiyou opened one eyes and was surprised to see a pair of blue eyes staring down at him.
He let out a scream. He was dazed. He didn't know what had happened.
He sat up. He looked around.
He was in a dark street. But he didn't know what street. Frankly, it didn't looked anywhere in Tokyo.
"Are you okay, sir?" He heard.
He looked back. It was a young girl, maybe about five years old, with bright blue eyes and curly brown hair.
"Y-yeah..."
"Are you cold? I'm so sorry, but I only have this." The little girl said, giving Taiyou her shawl.
Taiyou saw her shiver.
"I'm not cold." he said firmly, returning the shawl to the young girl.
And Taiyou realized how weird that was. He really isn’t cold. It was a dark and cold night- well, looking from his surroundings. The snow was falling fast. He didn't wear anything but his pajamas, but he didn't feel cold at all.
He tried to touch the snow on the ground. It wasn't cold. What was happening?
"Uhm, where are we?" Taiyou asked the girl.
The little girl smiled at him and Taiyou couldn't help but think the little girl was so cute. She had a dimple. "We're in Assistens Cemetery. Did you fall asleep? Were you visiting someone?"
---
Hikaru slowly stood up. "Ah... I don't know, Yabu. If we're dead, how come we're here? Where are we, by the way?"
'I haven't been here before.'
Hikaru blinked.
Yabu shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think I've been here before." He said glancing around with a worried look on his face.
There it was again. It was as if he'd heard Yabu answered before he'd even said the words.
'Hikaru, Yabu and Shoon! Are they here?'
Hikaru glanced around and saw a silhouette.
"Yabu! Someone's there! Let's go!" he said, running towards the shadow and dragging a confused Yabu with him.
---
Shoon ran at the scene. He didn't want to see that. Someone had died in front of him. And he'd seen the... He sped up, he didn't want to think about that. He didn't know what had happened to him or where the hell he was.
He'd stop by a park, it seems. He touched his head. Maybe he was going insane. Hallucinating... maybe he was dead!
He heard some movements. He looked around at once.
It was only a guy with a little girl.
He blinked. He took a closer look.
The guy... the guy didn't have numbers on his head.
He slowly stood up and followed the guy.
---
"Taiyou!" Hikaru called and Taiyou looked in front of him, relieved surging to him at the familiar voice.
"Hikaru! Yabu!" he called. "Thank God."
The little girl tugged at him. He looked at her.
"What is it?" she asked.
"They're my friends." He said pointing at the two who were fast approaching them.
The little girl looked towards the two. She seems confused.
The two were finally with them.
"Taiyou! Thank God! Do you know where we are?" Hikaru asked.
"I don't know. Little Maki here said we're in Copenhagen City." Taiyou said.
"Copenhagen?!! That's Denmark! I'm sure Inoo-chan said that! We're in Denmark??" Yabu asked, aghast.
---
Shoon saw two other boys nearing the guy and the little girl. With a surge of relief maybe, he'd push forward to approach them.
"Yabu! Taiyou! Hikaru!" He called, and the three of them looked at him. He saw them smile in relief, too.
Shoon realized that the other two didn't have numbers on their head as well. He was thankful for that.
Shoon saw the little girl tugged on Taiyou's sleeve.
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The girl had numbers on her head.
---
Shoon approached them and Taiyou sighed in relieved. Now there's something familiar. That's good.
The little girl tugged on Taiyou again. "I understand now! You have imaginary friends! Can you introduce them?"
Taiyou looked at her, surprised. "Imaginary friends? No, these are my friends. Real friends. This is Hikaru, Yabu and Shoon." He said to the girl pointing at his friends.
The girl looked at him for a while and then smiled. "Hi there, I'm Makie." she said to the boys but she was looking at the wrong direction.
"She... she can't see us." Hikaru said.
"What?" Shoon said.
"She can't see us. She can only see Taiyou." Hikaru said. "I... I don't know how, but I'm sure about it. She thinks Taiyou is just playing with her."
"How can that be?" Yabu asked. "So we're really dead? But why are we in Denmark? And why can she see Taiyou and why am I not cold? And why can I pass through things and Hikaru can't? And--"
"What do you mean we're in Denmark?" Shoon asked. "And you can pass through things?"
Yabu nodded grimly and then touched Hikaru... or not... his hand went right through Hikaru. And then he pointed at Makie. "She said we're in Copenhagen... That's capital city of Denmark."
Shoon looked at Hikaru.
"Yeah.. I think so..." Hikaru said before Shoon could even utter a word.
"You... you read minds or something??" Shoon asked. He was really dizzy now. What the hell happened to them??
"That's what you were doing?" Yabu looked at Hikaru. He sighed. "I would have thought this is cool... but no... it's not. It's freaky. What the hell happened? I can only remember the bright light."
"The mistletoe!" Hikaru and Shoon said at the same time.
"So it was really a magic mistletoe??" Taiyou said.
Shoon sighed. "I wouldn't have believed it, but how can you explain what's happening to us..?"
"We might be dreaming..." Yabu suggested.
"This is a very vivid and realistic dream then." Shoon said.
Little Makie tugged on Taiyou again. "Taiyou... can we go now?" she asked. "I need to sell this before I come home. No one has bought any since earlier..." she said pointing at her basket and she tried to smile even though it was clear she was worried.
"She... she needs to sell all of them. Or his drunkard step-father would... he would beat her up." Hikaru said.
"What?!" Taiyou said, a little angry. The little girl was very nice. He'd never thought anyone would hurt her.
Makie looked up at him, surprised at his outburst. She seemed to cringe away from him.
"I... It's okay i-if you don't--"
"No." Taiyou said quickly, smiling at the little girl. "I'm sorry. I mean, I'll help you sell. What is it we're selling?" he asked the little girl crouching down and patting her on her head.
The girl smiled at him. Taiyou took her hand and started walking, letting the girl lead him.
"Taiyou." Shoon said, "What are you doing? We don't even know what happened to us!"
He didn't reply but Hikaru said. "I agree with Taiyou. We can't just leave her."
"I want to help her, too. But shouldn't we help ourselves as well?" Shoon asked.
"It'll be just for a little while. Let's help her for now. We don't know what to do about our situation anyway." Yabu said.
Shoon didn't reply. Truthfully, he did want to help, too. But he was scared of what had happened to him- to them.
Slowly, he followed his three friends.
---
Taiyou and Makie had been trying to sell for at least half an hour now but no one was buying their matches. And that was when Shoon noticed.
10.03
Her number suddenly dropped.
He didn't know what he was doing but he ran for the little girl and tackled her back.
Then two carriages pass by where she was standing a second ago.
Shoon was thankful that even though she couldn't see him, he was able to save her.
"Are you okay?" Taiyou ran towards Makie.
She just nodded, shocked. "J-just c-clumsy... M-my slippers..." she said.
Taiyou then saw a little boy picking up one of her slippers.
"Thank you." Taiyou said holding up his hand but then the little boy grinned and ran away, taking the slipper with him.
"Hey!!!" Taiyou said, outraged. He was about to run for him but Makie stopped him. "It's okay Taiyou..."
"But you're slippers... Aren't your feet cold?" he asked in concern.
"It's okay..." she lied. Taiyou can see her feet were red from the cold.
He took off his own slippers and put it on the little girl's feet. "It's a bit big for your feet but this'll do for now..." he said smiling at the little girl.
"Taiyou... what about you?" The girl said, worriedly.
"I don't feel cold." Taiyou said honestly. "You don't have to worry."
The little girl still looked worried.
"By the way, how did you know the carriage was coming?" Yabu asked Shoon. Shoon didn't reply.
"He... he can see one's numbers..." Hikaru said, half-amazed, half-scared. "He saw her numbers dropped… meaning she almost d-died."
"You should have run after the boy." Shoon said to Taiyou, trying to change the subject.
"I know." Taiyou said.
The little girl looked at him. Taiyou sighed. It was a bit inconvenient that everyone else but him doesn't see the other three boys.
"I thought I should have run after him." He said.
"No, it's good you didn't. And you shouldn't be mad about him, it's Christmas after all." The girl said, smiling.
"What's so great about Christmas?" Shoon said aloud. Truthfully, he was miffed about the boy. Why pick on someone so helpless like her?
"She's Christian." Hikaru answered for the girl. "This day is very important for her. She doesn't understand much, but her faith is strong."
"That's freaky, you know... answering like that." Yabu commented.
"And what you're doing is not?" Hikaru shot back at Yabu whose hand was through a stone statue. It seems Yabu himself didn't notice.
"It's time for loving and giving." Makie continued.
"But that wasn't love, the thing he did." Taiyou said.
"What's important is that you yourself love. Giving is more important that receiving. Thank you for the slippers, Taiyou." she said. And then she stood up and pick up her basket and matches.
That's when Shoon realized.
"She's the little match girl!" he said to the two boys.
"She is?" Yabu said. "The little match girl but then..."
Hikaru heard his thought... "So... so... she'll-" he gulped, "..die?"
"She can't!" Taiyou said. Little Makie-didn't hear him for she resumed trying to sell matches to the passing people. But the people became fewer and fewer.
"We know what will happen." Shoon said trying to sound indifferent. "We're just visitors here, I think. We shouldn't intervene much more."
Taiyou's face hardens.
No one was passing by now. There was only the five of them there. Two in little Makie’s eyes.
"Maki-chan." Taiyou said. "Everyone went home now, I think. It is Christmas after all..."
The girl looked down the ground.
"She doesn't want to go home." Hikaru said. "She's scared of her step-father."
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'That's a very short time.' Shoon mused. He felt useless.
Hikaru didn't say anything but it seems he couldn't look at any of them. The other two didn't seem to notice.
"Let's go somewhere... where do you wanna go?" Taiyou asked the little girl.
"Oh, I wanna visit the old church! We need to greet Jesus! It'll be his birthday soon!" The girl said.
Taiyou smiled at her and let her lead the way.
---
It was really an old church. Abandoned, by the looks of it. But there were still pews inside and some other things. Taiyou figured this was better than nothing. It was still shelter. At least the little girl wouldn't be showered with more snow. Maybe the place was a little warmer than outside, too.
The little girl ran inside the church. The four boys watched.
She went towards the little figurine by the altar. It was of a child Jesus. She smiled at it and said, "Happy Birthday!"
She looked back at Taiyou. Taiyou approached the figurine and greeted it as well.
Little Makie smiled.
"I don't have a gift for him..." The girl said, her smile fading but then her face lifted again and said.
"I know! I'll play a song for him!"
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She went towards the old organ lying by the side.
It looked ancient but she'd opened it anyway. It was obvious she had been there before.
She'd try the keys and smiled when it was still playing.
She started playing a mellow song.
And then she started singing.
"Spend all your time waiting for that second chance
For the break that will make it okay
There's always some reason to feel not good enough?
And it's hard at the end of the day"
The boys watched. The little girl's hand swept through the organs. There were some mistakes, but she really plays well. She sings well, too. She still couldn't pronounce some of the words correctly, but anyone would understand them.
"Her mom taught her." Hikaru found himself saying. It was just something he felt he needed to tell them. He could see it in Makie’s mind. "Before she died. Also the words. She doesn't understand them, but she knows them by heart. It's her favorite song. Her mom always sang it for her."
"I need some distraction, oh beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
They may be empty and weightless, and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight."
The little girl's voice sound melancholy. As if she's lulling them all to sleep.
"In the arms of an Angel, fly away from here...
From this dark, cold hotel room..."
The little girl suddenly stopped playing.
And Shoon's heart took a leap when he realized...
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The little girl shivered.
"It became so cold." she whispered, hugging herself.
Taiyou's eyes widen.
"I know, let's open a match. That'll warm us up." she said.
She took out a matchbox. She opened one and a flame flicker to life. The girl smiled and then she moved the match towards Taiyou, as if to share the heat.
"I'm not cold!" Taiyou said, moving the match back to her. But the movement blew the fire out.
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"Oh," the girl said. She took another stick and scratched it through the stone ground. A fire flicker once more.
She'd place it in between her and Taiyou once more.
"Maki, please. I'm not cold. You should keep it closer to you. To warm you up." Taiyou said, carefully pushing the little girl's hand back to her.
But again, the fire went out.
Yabu started tearing up. He knew what's about to happen.
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She picked the box again and now took three match sticks. She scratched it but no fire flicker, she'd try again.
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Shoon couldn't take it anymore.
"Taiyou carry her! I know where the doctor lives!" He shouted. He had seen him earlier when he was running around.
Taiyou did as he was told. He carried the little girl to his arm. He wished that at least his body warmth could warm her somehow. He doubts it as he himself can't feel the surely cold girl, but he hoped.
"Taiyou..?" Makie said. Her voice sounded weak and her eyelids were dropping.
"Maki-chan, don't sleep okay? Try not to sleep." Taiyou said as they ran with Shoon leading the way.
They ran and ran and finally they were in front of the house. But all the lights were closed. This didn't stop them though. All four of them pound on the door asking for help. Yabu all but pass through the door, intending to find the doctor.
They pounded and pounded. But no one was answering.
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Yabu had found the doctor on his bed. He was asleep. He couldn't hear them for there were no sounds save for Taiyou's. But Taiyou couldn't knock much, he was holding onto little Makie.
Yabu tried everything but he couldn't wake the doctor up. He just went through everything!
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Hikaru's tears started falling. Why couldn't he do anything at all????
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Shoon looked at the little girl. it was less than two minutes now. He pounded more. A little stronger. Please, please, anyone help this little girl.
And then he'd notice.
His hands... they were fading...
He looked at Taiyou and Hikaru. It was the same for them.
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He realized now. Makie’s time... is also their time in this world.
He pounded and pounded.
‘Please. If there's really a Christmas miracle, please. Save Makie!’
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Taiyou started crying as well. He stopped pounding on the door and just hugged Makie to him.
He can't stand it. Why did this have to happen?!
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"Taiyou..." Makie whispered. "You're warm..."
Taiyou looked at her. "And I see your friends now, too."
Taiyou's eyes widen.
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"Ma--"
There was a bright light.
00.00
A little girl is lying on the snow cold in front of a humble home, unconscious.
---
Shoon opened his eyes and saw their Christmas tree in their common room.
They were back. He was sure of it.
He looked around. Yabu, Taiyou and Hikaru were all stirring as well.
Yabu was the first to sit up.
"Makie!" he shouted. He looked around and then he burst into tears. Hikaru and Taiyou both sat up, too.
Shoon was sure he saw tears fall from their eyes as well.
He felt moisture in his eyes.
He was crying as well.
They were silent for a while. They all knew it wasn't a dream. They didn't care much about that anymore.
Finally, Shoon stood up. He couldn't mope all night. He needed to do something. Anything.
But then he saw the book Taiyou took earlier.
'The Little Match Girl'
Unconsciously, he took the book.
He opened it and looked through it. He flipped and flipped, relieving what had happened in every page.
And then it was the last page.
And his eyes widen.
"Guys..." he croaked.
The other three looked up.
He pointed to the book. The three looked at it, and they silently read together.
'In the dawn of morning there lay the poor little one, with pale cheeks and smiling mouth, leaning against the wall; the doctor had thought she had been frozen to death, but no. The child was still holding for her life. The doctor had carried the girl inside his home and care for her. The child lied on the soft, warm bed, holding the matches in her hand, one bundle of which was burnt. “She tried to warm herself,” said some. No one imagined what beautiful things she had seen, and what more beautiful things she would see in the future.'
Hikaru and Taiyou now openly cried; out of relief, Shoon was sure.
He felt like crying as well.
The clock stroke midnight, and as if it was a cue, everyone's phone rang. It was everyone's family greeting them a Merry Christmas.
Shoon smiled at the book. He still hadn't let go of it.
He flipped another page and saw the familiar smile of the little girl.
He smiled while looking at her, feeling very happy just then. For the first time in a long time, without the thoughts of gifts, or snow, or carols, or decorations- things that never did made him feel anything except maybe exasperation, but now he feels it really is Christmas.
It was as if the little girl opened a light with a match and enlightened him about what Christmas really is about.
The little girl selling matches had brought him Christmas.
"Merry Christmas, Makie." he murmured and then he closed the book.
END.
AN:
-Makie- a Danish name. I used it cause when I was little my favorite uncle used to call me 'Maki' instead of 'Macy.'
-I hope I did that alright. It was hard to describe each scene. I have it clear in my head, but I don't know if I made it clear with my words.
-'Mistelten Magi: Den Lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne' just means 'Magic Mistletoe: The Little Match Girl' The original story is in Danish...