Chapter 9: CAST Kringle

[nanocerancowboy]

[If it weren't for Mayfield's usual brand of cruelty, Gat wouldn't have been much surprised by the celebrations this month. Coral and the planets of the Gurhal System celebrate something akin to Christmas, after all-and many festive customs are quite similar to those practiced on Earth, right down to gift-giving.]

[That's what makes this morning

Comments

[duck_duck_laser]

[Dakki had been sleeping, because she very much needed it. And her spirits were far too low for her want to try staying up to all hours of the evening. Everyone had forgotten her. The ones that hadn't forgotten her didn't pay her any mind because she wasn't real anymore. She had been absolutely miserable since this whole mess had begun. So she resolved to stay in bed as long as possible.

Besides, it was nice and warm in bed, when you piled all the blankets in the house on it.]

Nff...

[...too warm. Too warm? Wait, since when were things too warm? The town had been trying to freeze everyone to death. The surplus of heat and a rush of confused thoughts actually woke Dakki up. Her natural curiosity got her out from under the blankets. And since she was out, she had to go to the bathroom, and then she was hungry so... well, so much for the intent of moping upstairs away from the people that didn't recognize her

[nanocerancowboy]

[Gat does notice! At the sound of Dakki's voice, he looks up from where he'd been busy cleaning the dining room table.]

Howdy, Dakki.

[He says that a little quietly in response to her question, glancing over to the TV set and its nonstop playing of that sugary television special before continuing.]

Seems like.

[Gat pauses, having trouble figuring out what to say about ... well, everything this month. What do you say to a person you've hurt, albeit from having your own memories and perception forcibly altered?]

[Well, an apology would be better than nothing. So, he speaks up as he turns his head to look back at Dakki.]

Listen-I'm sorry for th' way I've been treatin' ya.

[duck_duck_laser]

[Dakki doesn't answer right away. It was a friendly greeting... but awfully quiet. So it was likely Gat just being polite.]

Good morning, Gat.

[It's said almost too quietly to hear. She turns herself about and rests her back against the wall, head turned away from him. Christmas was here, but were things better, at all?

....he had apologized. Her head snapped around, and she stared at him.]

You've been pretty nice to me, all things considered....

[nanocerancowboy]

[Gat shakes his head.]

Y'still deserve an apology. Even if it wasn't somethin' I could help.

[He looks off to the side.]

Th' town was pulln' th' wool over my eyes.

[duck_duck_laser]

[Was. He said was. It was over. He remembered and recognized her.

Her expression is one of shock, but it's quickly transforming into delight. She pushes off from the wall, sprints those few steps between the both of them, and presses herself against him in a relieved hug.]

Gat....

[She makes a sound that's either a little laugh or the start of tears.]

It's okay. It's okay now, isn't it? It's okay...

[spinningorange]

(Damn right it's okay. It's peaceful and snowy and to a certain extent, really pretty. It was nice to have everything be so peaceful...

...oh, this cute moment going on right here? It's about to get cuter because now there is kitty.)

It's beautiful outside! It's cold, but really pretty!

[nanocerancowboy]

[This is where CAST senses come in handy! Because, let's face it&mdsh;Dakki is quick on her feet. Had he still been human, he'd have not realized Dakki was going for a blitz hug, and her momentum would have knocked him off his feet and sent the two of them crashing into the table. It'd've been a royal mess, but a wonderfully silly one.]

[But Gat does see it coming, so he braces himself for flying Dakkis, and returns her embrace with a tender hug of his own.]

Yeah. Things're alright now, Dakki.

[And-it's a much-needed release for him, too. He won't deny that one bit.]

[-but at the sound of Chen's voice, Gat looks up, seeing her coming in to the room.]

Mornin', Chen! Lot nicer than it's been for th' past few weeks?

[duck_duck_laser]

[She had been making an effort to not just slam on into him... but not much of one. Dakki is nothing if not overenthusiastic about these things. And Gat could handle it.

She squeezes him a bit tighter, resting her cheek against his shoulder.]

I thought....

[Whatever overly emotional thing that she had thought, it was immediately forgotten. For there was Chen! And she was adorable! And also very astute.]

It is a lot nicer. Even just in here! There's heat again! I woke up because I was way too warm...

[spinningorange]

The weather was really cold, but it's all better now! And I think it's going to stay this way, but I'm not sure.

(She'll just walk around the room like the curious cat that she is. She's eying the Mayfield-forced Christmas tree and stockings along the fireplace or whatever fancy decorations are about. Her tails swish about.)

If it's over, then does that mean we get stuff back? They give things back when things end, don't they?

[nanocerancowboy]

[It's something Dakki can always talk about later, if she still needs to talk about it. Certainly, they've got all day.]

Last night I heard sleigh bells. Th' power seemed to come back right about at that time, too. I reckon if it ain't jus' me they stopped messin' with, then it prolly is over ...

[Chen's question, as well as the attention she's affording the Christmas tree, finally causes Gat to take a better look at it himself.]

... There weren't presents under that there tree before, were there?

[duck_duck_laser]

Bells... and the power came back on? That sounds like things being over, if you ask me... I imagine we would get stuff back whenever the mail comes.

[She slips away from Gat, having gotten the hug and the relief out of her system. And then she peers beneath the tree because he just pointed out something that she hadn't noticed.]

....I don't think so, no.

[spinningorange]

I don't remember them being there before. Maybe they're for us?

(Chen goes right up to the tree to inspect it and the gifts herself. It doesn't take her long to confirm things with a nod.)

They are, they are!

[nanocerancowboy]

[Gat heads over to the tree himself, standing adjacent to Chen to get a better look. Sure enough, there's a wide assortment of presents, just like the kind one would find in a Gurhalian or Coralian Christmas. Complete with little tags addressed to each of them.]

Well, I'll be ...

[duck_duck_laser]

[Dakki advances on the tree, too, and kneels to go pick up one of the presents. Yup, the both of them were right. Christmas really was here.]

Wow... do you think they'd have some of our things in them?

[She rises, still holding a package that's got her name on it. If it had "some of their things", then maybe one of those things was her body? Yes? Maybe?]

[spinningorange]

They should, right? It's Christmas and scary things are over!

(Which means Chen will go right ahead and open the box with her name on it. It's just a picture of the sky...and it doesn't make much sense to the cat until she starts floating. Then she gets really excited.)

I can fly again! Yay, I can fly!

(So don't mind her as she spins about in midair. This is why her account name is SPINNING orange)

[nanocerancowboy]

[Gat's general caution with all things Mayfield makes him start at Chen's eagerness to get to her presents-they should try and test first just to make sure they're not just one more cruel trick, right? He goes to raise a hand as if to gesture to Chen to stop-]

Hey now-

[-though by then, Chen's already got the box open and has pulled out the picture, so he lowers his hand ... fully, and accompanied with a pulling back of his head, once she starts floating, flying, and spinning. But is she tumbling end over end in midair?!]

They are playin' fair ... Don't that beat all! You're flyin' jus' like a Mag!