A ghostly Christmas! (1x1 - AndreaJingling + NienieDreamer)

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NienieDreamer

NienieDreamer

Seek out all Pokémon and thou shalt find me
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
  1. Looking for partners
Posting Speed
  1. Speed of Light
  2. Multiple posts per day
  3. 1-3 posts per day
  4. Multiple posts per week
  5. 1-3 posts per week
Online Availability
Irregular
Writing Levels
  1. Beginner
  2. Elementary
  3. Intermediate
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Female
  2. Nonbinary
Genres
Fantasy (Both medieval and modern!)

Scifi (Should NOT be mixed with fantasy!)

Action-Adventure (Oh, how I adore adventure and cool combat stuff, epic scenes, love it!)
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Just outside of St. George, Utah, and nestled between Mollie's Nipple { Yes, real rock formation, check it out }, and Signal Peak, was a small town. IT wasn't famous for any attraction. It wasn't famous for the mesa around it. It wasn't a suburb like one would think of something so close to St. George. Instead, it's fame came from a few fateful days in the mid 1980s. Tragedy was what this town was famous for.. And this town,


was named Hurricane.

Hurricane, Utah.

The Tragedy of each of the spree of Murders in the town at a small restaurant chain, which blew up into a massive Paranormal Experience for the poor town, as well as the Legacy of the company behind the Cover-ups still remaining to that modern day in the form of abandoned buildings, failed ventures, and malicious machines wandering the derelict halls of many locations.. Though at least one, had found hope..
Hope, that had existed for a long, long time.
Hope, that had been the START, of the legacy of tragedy, terror, and hate..


Charlotte.


Charlotte had taken a long, long time to recuperate after, everything. She had forged her own way to the future, and even was able to purchase a house for herself on the outskirts of town in a small neighborhood, close to Grandpa's Pond. Coming back was, a shock to her, knowing SHE was the last of the Emily family standing, and taking on the burden of her Father's will, which included taking ownership of the very animatronics that she had possessed for decades. It had been legal HELL on the poor woman, and with the fact she started her OWN business in the Pine Valley Diner, a small eatery along the main road, and had maintained connections with her Killer's Daughter, AND her Killer, whom somehow she had forgiven, all three were now entering a business venture quite, lucrative for a specific industry.
Prototyping Robots and new Animatronics.
Adding on the small factor than an old, blue dress she had from a fling with an old friend had given her a few more, unnatural powers and abilities relating to the Frost, Snow, and Ice, it had been.. Interesting for the once Puppeted Ghostly Woman..
Still, that night, once again, the Black Bear had followed her home. And on the way, they got STRUCK by a passing Motorcycle.. Not a direct collision, no, but the rider of the bike thought it fun to swipe the bear off it's feet, resulting in damage..

Charlie, was busy making repairs at that time, her head stuck into the chest cavity of the bear as she pushed the plastic back out into shape from the inside. It was hard work for her, but at this point, she was very much used to it.. This wasn't the first time she had to do something like this..

"Ow- shit.."
She let out a small exclamation of pain, as a joint suddenly moved, giving her a hard bonk on the head, causing her to recoil out of the stomach compartment of the animatronic..
"ow fuck that.. ugh.. hurt.."
Charlie muttered, before shutting the compartment's chestplate door, and slowly moving to her couch, grabbing the ice water, which originally didn't HAVE ice, and taking a long, long swig, while running her visibly paling hands through her long, brown hair, with icy blue tips.. It wasn't hair dye, they had started to go blue since she had chosen to stay in the dress due to it's, self defense options shall we say. Even when she took it off, she still had those effects, it was an oddity but, she just had to deal with it at that point.
Though as the Holiday Season drew closer, and closer, she hadn't done, really ANYTHING for it.. The last holiday she had done anything FOR was Halloween, giving out treats in the stomach of the Black Bear animatronic. Not a decoration dotted her home, except for the snow that she had both conjured, and that had fallen in the winter weather.. And to be frank.
She didn't see any point in decorating that year anyways. Who would she even be decorating for besides herself.. Her friends were all gone to visit family across the world, from Marla going to Spain to visit her grandma, to John going to see his aunt in Washington, to, well, every other of her friends off to see their folks, it was.. Lonely. Quiet.. Silent. Save for the sound of a clicking music box on the Kitchen Counter, Charlotte was, sitting in deafening silence..
She hated it..
 
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Noëlle was a relatively new and young Elf. Her job? To take care of the reindeers. When Santa had seen her that first day, mostly spent in the stable, he'd assigned her to the reindeers. She was even the only Elf to take care of them since she loved them so much. Generally, Noëlle preferred it that way, this way she could do things her own way. Occasionally she'd help out with wrapping gifts or something like that in the workshop, and one of the jobs that she absolutely adored on the side was mail. Christmas mail! From people all over the world, she'd sort through it and update the lists with the wishes from the people that wrote to Santa. It wasn't that Santa didn't read the letters himself; he did, every single one of them. But he did need help with the lists and letters, and that's what Noëlle also did.

Overall, she kept pretty busy on the North Pole. Mostly with the reindeers, but when she had some spare time she'd help out with other stuff. Like the aforementioned mail or whatever else the other Elves asked her to do.
She was just busy giving hay to the reindeer when Santa himself entered the stable. "Hello, Santa!'' She greeted. It wasn't unusual to see him around here; they were his reindeer, after all.
"Good day, Noëlle. Say, I've been thinking...''
Noëlle dropped the hay in Dancer's stall and turned to the man, curious to hear what exactly he'd been thinking.
"You like the mail, right?''
Nodding earnestly, she replied, "Oh yes, I love reading it. It's crazy to think that it comes from AALL over the world,'' she said, spreading her arms wide, "and besides, it's just fun to read!''

With the groan of an old man, Santa sat down on a crate of hay and stroked his beard. "Well, I've been thinking,'' he said again. Noëlle patiently waited, folding her hands behind her back and rocking back and forth on her feet. "You take care of the reindeer very well, so first of all, what I've been thinking is that I got something for you.''
Tilting her head, the young Elf came closer when Santa beckoned her. He got off the crate and gestured at her to open it. It wasn't a crate of hay at all! She thought there was hay in it, it'd been brought in mysteriously.
But instead, a very small reindeer stared right into her own eyes. Noëlle's own eyes teared up, and with a gasp, she looked at Santa.
"All yours,'' he said, with a smile under his beard.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!'' She said, flying into a hug for Santa, who laughed his merry 'ho ho ho' laugh that had gotten so famous across the world. He patted her back.
Noëlle let go and looked back over the edge of the crate. "What's its name?''
"Her name is for you to decide.''
"Hmmm...'' This was a super important decision! Noëlle thought about it, really thought about it very hard... "Rainy,'' she eventually decided.''
"That's a beautiful name, Noëlle.'' Santa nodded.

Noëlle lifted Rainy out of the crate and held the little reindeer close, feeding it a carrot as Santa continued. "Now, the other thing... I think it's high time you got on a new assignment.''
A little panicked, she looked up. "I don't get to take care of the reindeer anymore?'' She asked.
"Oh, no no, you do, of course. You're good at that. What I'm trying to give you is a new assignment, a very special one. Not everyone feels the holiday cheer, not everyone has reasons to.''
"That's so sad,'' Noëlle said.
"Yes... so I was thinking about doing something new. I was thinking about sending you out to those people to give them the Christmas that they deserve. What would you think about that?''
Noëlle looked up at him again. "Really? Me?''
"Yes. You.''
"But who'd take care of the reindeer whilst I'm gone?''
"Don't you worry about that, they'll be in the best of hands. Meanwhile, I've already got your first assignment for you.''
"Wait, so I'm really going?''
There was a twinkle in Santa's eyes. "Yes, you're really going. Rainy here can help you get there.'' He handed her a paper, and she read eagerly read it.

"Now,'' Santa said, as he handed her a sack, too. She didn't question where he got it from; he was Santa, after all. "This is her gift sack. You'll be required to bring those as well, as I may not be visiting depending on the situation.''
"But, uh, how is Rainy supposed to get me there?'' Noëlle wondered as she looked at the small reindeer bounding around her feet. Santa didn't reply, but Rainy kind of did, growing to a fully sized reindeer in front of Noëlle's eyes. "Woah...''
She got a halter and straps for her reindeer, which she attached the gift sack to.
"You'll be alright?''
"Yeah, I got Rainy,'' Noëlle replied from atop her new pet, patting its neck.''

After saying her last goodbyes, off they went. Rainy seemed to know where to go, and the flight was amazing. Santa had instructed her to land where the least amount of people possible could see her, which Rainy did.
And then, she was on Rainy, getting weird stares from passing by people as she looked for the address. "Hmmm... It should be around here somewhere, right girl?'' The reply was a grunt.

Rainy stopped and Noëlle got off. "Hmmm... How to get in? Shall we go through the chimney?'' She got back up on Rainy, who flew her to the roof... only to find out that there was no chimney. "Huh,'' Noëlle said, "that's odd. Who doesn't have a chimney? Luckily, that's not something we can't fix!''
She got off of the reindeer, who shrunk back to its small side. Noëlle held out her hands, closed her eyes, and focus. All Elves had Christmas magic... she could do this. Taking a deep breath, she focused and... a chimney appeared! "Yes! I did it!'' She exclaimed. And then, to Rainy, who she picked up; "Hang on.''
In she went, tumbling down and coming out in a sitting position, shaking the ash from her hair. "Are you Charlotte Emily?'' She asked, glancing at her paper, to the person sitting on the couch. After being done shaking the soot from her hair, she put her Christmas hat back on.
 
THAT, took the young woman by surprise.
At first, it was just the feeling a draft, and shuddering as she adjusted, only to see the random chimney in her living room where the heating system once was, causing her to JOLT upwards to a sitting position. It only changed to a panicked 'shove every bit of your body into the corner of the couch in a terrified jolt' once she saw the figure appear out of the soot and ash.. This was, NOT what she was expecting to be witnessing tonight.. The rest of her skin had gone paler than usual, as she sat there, shaking, her eyes darting to her dress then back to the figure..
She didn't want to believe this was happening..
But then, she was confronted. Her name was asked.
She wasn't one to lie, even if she wanted to, maybe as a way to get this, individual out of her home..
So.

She spoke up.


"U-um.. yes that's.. me?"
She spoke quietly, timidly even, still in a full defensive stance, or, seat, on the couch.. LEFTY, however, had SWUNG around, it's lone eye locking onto the figure, watching it's every move like a camera mounted on the wall of a storefront.
 
The kid smiled, then got up, dusted herself off and stepped out of the fireplace. "You didn't write to Santa this year,'' she said, her face falling in disappointment that looked the same as her voice sounded. "Which is a shame, because now he didn't get your wishlist. Don't worry though, Santa knows!''
The reindeer got out after her and shook itself out, sending the black dust everywhere. Noëlle just tsked. "Rainy!'' She scolded, and snapped her fingers to make the stuff vanish from herself, her reindeer and the ground. Now, it was only in the fireplace, which is really where it belonged.

Noëlle looked around the house, and her face fell even further. "Aww, you didn't even decorate!'' She exclaimed, spreading her arms. "That's okay,'' she then said, "we can always do that later, together! Way more fun that way. Besides, there's still time to write to Santa, too.'' Her eyes fell on the bear. "Aww, cute.'' She remarked, her voice as genuine as the smile on her face.

Then, she turned to Charlotte. "Hello!'' She said with a wave. "I'm Noëlle. And this is Rainy!'' She looked at the sack next to her. "You, uh, don't have a Christmas tree, so I don't know where to put this. I know it's a little early, but it's still fun to have presents under the Christmas tree, don't you think?''
 
Charlotte's tense pose started to relax slightly.. What an, odd thing to mention.. She hadn't thought about that in DECADES. Not since the 70s had she.. She was still sort of, taken aback by the comment about that.
"U-um, no I.. Didn't.. don't think I, have in.. well.. decades."
She said quietly, her mouth opening again to try and speak but, being both cut off by the other, and also realizing she probably shouldn't speak of her more, spectral origins, she closed it..

At the comment about her decorations, she relaxed a slight bit more..
"W-well no I.. Didn't take time to life's been. Busy and my, friends are all out visiting family so I really don't have, anyone to decorate FOR besides my neighbors and they already kinda think, oddly of me considering but, i mean motivation is kinda down to so.."
She trailed off, watching as they looked over at the bear, and brought the proposition of both of THEM decorating up to the table. She still was, well, confused on how they knew her, how they FOUND her, and why they were really there..

The bear let out a deep, ominous creak, as it's form shifted to star right into Noëlle's SOUL, it's one eye staring, and the void it had for it's other shimmering in the low light.. It was almost like, it was acting as if it didn't trust her.. It's old mechanical parts groaned as it watched, and slowly took a step forward..

Charlie couldn't help but shudder, looking at the bear, then back to Noëlle.. The introduction also felt, at least a little relaxing.. She seemed kind enough. Not like, anyone that SHE would ever send.
"U-um, pleasure to.. Meet you too Noëlle.."
Looking at the sack, she finally expressed something other than a deep fear.. A slight, tilt of her head appeared as she looked at the sack..
"Um, yeah I, guess it is but.. I never, really asked for anything and, nothing really, comes to mind as something I'd WANT so.. I.. yeah.."
Her confusion overwhelmed her, as she finally stopped talking, realizing the most she could really say was, more of what she already did..
 
"Oh." The kid responded, thinking about that for a while. Why wouldn't someone write to Santa? Didn't they want to send their wishlists and get presents? "Well, he loves getting letters, and like I said, it's not too late to send one! Though the later you do it, the more he and the Elves will have to hurry to get your presents so that you'll get the right ones.''

"Well, that's sad,'' she responded. "Nobody should be alone for Christmas. But luckily you won't be!'' She said, hopping in place a little bit on her feet. "Cause, I'm here now! And maybe you can like, call your friends, or even better, you can visit them if they want to, and they're not too far away! Ooh, or maybe send a letter!'' She looked around the house again. "Well, we'll have to do a lot, like pick a Christmas tree and get decorations - do you have decorations? - and... Ooh! Stockings. We definitely need stockings. And hot cocoa, and lots of marshmallows, and cookies and milk-'' She went on for a while, telling this Charlotte Emily everything she'd needed. Every item she rattled off was Christmas related. And she only stopped when the other spoke again.

"Oh yeah,'' she agreed, "pleasure!'' She skipped over and held out a hand for her assignment to shake, if she wanted that. If not, she'd just lower the hand down again. "Well, it IS fun to get presents, and I got your gift sack right here! Don't worry, even if you don't send a letter, or if YOU don't know what you want, Santa still knows! So, I'm sure whatever it is you want is right here in that sack!'' She dangled it in the air.

"So,'' Noëlle said, "you got time right now? We could do all kinds of fun things! Like Christmas shopping, Christmas baking, Christmas decorating-'' And there she went again, rattling off Christmas activities this time rather than Christmas related things. It seemed this girl's mind worked purely on Christmas and nothing else.
 
Charlie was, fully taken aback by the enthusiasm of the kid, listening to everything they rapped off as things they should do. Decorating? Backing? Shopping? It all sounded a bit overwhelming but, kinda nice. She HAD said earlier in the year she wished to pursue more fun activities and things to really DO.. This, might be her chance to at last get away from the diner, and actually do something for HERSELF..

Taking the hand offered to her and shaking it carefully, she nodded at the talk of presents, her eyes looking at the sack with a tilt of her head. She genuinely had NO idea what was inside, nor, what she really WANTED so.. This would be a surprise to her for once.

As Noëlle spoke of time, she was taken aback as she started rattling off so, so many things to do.. It, honestly made her smile, and let out a very quiet chuckle, nearly silent in volume, though, it still did have those icy hints as she had been gaining lately.

"Yes I, I have time. Not, much going on right now anyways.. UDOT hasn't cleared the roads yet so no one, really can get in.. And I, thank you for the uh.. initiative in terms of going to uh, say hi to my friends but they're on the like.. opposite side of the country right now visiting and staying with family. hell one is on the other side of the ATLANTIC so.."
She let out a small but nervous chuckle as she finished, rubbing the back of her neck.. This woman's mind ran on... Honestly I have NO idea.. Probably depression or something.
 
Noëlle's handshake wasn't so careful. More like she was swinging a jumping rope. "Aw, snowed in. That's pretty awesome. When you're snowed in it always gets so cozy and everyone gets together. Besides, maybe your homeplace is doing something for Christmas! Like, a huge Christmas tree or something like that. That'd be fun! Oh, and you have a diner, right? Maybe the diner can do something for Christmas! That'd be fun, too. Or maybe you'd rather have a calm Christmas, that's fine. Not everyone has to work on Christmas, right?''

Noëlle finally let go of Charlotte's hand and looked around. "So... where DO I put the sack? Oh, I know!'' She hopped right over to the new fireplace and put it down next to there. "There! That'll do, until we get a Christmas tree. So, do they sell those anywhere here? Tree farm or something? Maybe a grocery store to get stuff to bake cookies!'' She tilted her her head. "Or Christmas cards. We could make Christmas cards for your friends! I'm sure they'll appreciate that. Do you already have some presents for them? Not to worry, I can get them out of my sack, too, but they'll be all yours to give!''

Skipping over to the door, Noëlle turned around just before exiting Charlotte's home. "So, what do you wanna do? Decorate, bake, craft, get a tree, something else? I'm all for it!'' She said. Her reindeer followed her on the foot, flopping down next to her.
 
She was taken aback by the roughness of the shake, a part of her was wondering if her arm would fly off. But, thankfully, nothing DID fly off. At all the talk of doing something for Christmas, she finally at least felt a LITTLE bit more comfortable in their company.. The bear also reacted as such, backing off a bit. At all of her questions Charlie couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"H-hah, slow down, slow down! That is a LOT of stuff to do in one day, if at all, and I, did say before roads aren't clear yet and, that kinda dampens my ability to travel since I uh. Walk everywhere since I don't have a car.. no clue how to get a lot of stuff home since no one can drive me home or, into town with this whole, snow thing, so.."

Charlotte scratched her neck once the present was placed near her new fireplace, before watching Noëlle skip to the door, slowly rising to her own feet with a small breath of both defeat, and uncertainty..
"I, hmm.. I don't think I have any uh, baking supplies.. don't have TOO many decorations since i don't have an attic so it's in the garage, places DO sell trees at this time of year but again no transport into town."

Charlie let out a quiet, fully defeated sigh as she looked towards Noëlle with a gaze of concern, and a hint of confusion still remaining..
"I just, kinda don't KNOW what I- or, WE, can do.. Kinda closed into this neighborhood and, MAYBE the highway into town got cleared but, maybe not considering it's, still snowing."
She motioned towards the sliding glass door, snowflakes drifting down into the narrow back yard behind the house itself which, to be frank had more rocks than grass.
 
Noëlle finally did slow down and stopped to think about it, walking to where Charlotte had gestured. She watched the snow with a sense of wonder and joy, the snowflakes reflecting in her eyes. "Well... walking in the snow is fun! But... you're probably right, I mean, we can't possibly carry THAT much. It'll take a lot of trips! Oooh! Unless...'' Noëlle turned back to the sack and raised a hand, furrowing her face in concentration. The sack floated in glittering air. "Unless I do that!''
Rainy let out a grunt. She'd not forgotten that Santa said to stay hidden, but Noëlle didn't seem to see a problem using magic in an urban town. To her, magic was just another normal thing. She didn't get it could be dangerous for both her and Charlotte to use it, or that it may at the very best raise some questions. ... As may a tiny reindeer.

"So, no car. We can just carry the stuff, or magic it home! We don't have to do it all in one day. That's the fun, we can do lots of fun stuff in lots of days! That way, there is always something to look forward to. But we gotta at least have milk, cookies and a decorated Christmas tree for Santa before Christmas,'' she said. "So, that's what takes priority, then! A Christmas tree. We can get some extra decorations if you want to, as well.''

Noëlle got away from the window and walked in front of Charlotte. "Have you ever magicked anywhere before?'' She asked. "It can feel kinda weird at first, but you get used to it. Ooh, we could use Rainy to drag the Christmas tree back! And she can carry loads of other stuff besides. If there's a shop here in the neighborhood, we can also grab some supplies for cookies on the way, if you want.''

She thought about it for a while, tilting her head. "So, right, right,'' she tried to organize, counting on her fingers. "Lots to do. First, a Christmas tree. We can go get that right now if you want to! And some decorations if you'd like. Rainy can carry it all, we can even ride or fly her! She's plenty strong.'' What Noëlle did not realize was that Rainy had been in her small form all the time. Thirty centimeters, give or take. Not at all capable of carrying much of anything, let alone a tree or a person.
 
And Charlie had picked up on that slightly.. Looking over the tiny reindeer, a few thoughts she once had years prior returned to her mind.. Something she, forgot about.. Before she could get the words out of her mouth, once again Noëlle started talking, sending poor Charlie for a loop.
After her talk about trees, decorations, Charlie couldn't help but feel a LITTLE invigorated to do something like that.. But at the mention of magic, she paused, her eyes widened in quite a bit of nervousness, as she took a step forward to try and stop the kid before they did something that would draw too much attention towards them, or HER.

"Wh- Nonononono that's, not a good idea here."
She said, shaking her hands violently to express as much of the word 'no' as she could.
"This isn't a uh, place that is USED to magic.. honestly it's more used to GHOSTS than magic.."
She said quietly, scratching her neck again, before letting out a small breath..
"And to be honest and, no offense intended kid but.."
She motioned gently towards Rainy.
"I don't think they'll uh, be able to handle the load you're uh, talking about.."
 
Noëlle gently lowered the sack back in front of the fireplace. "Why not? Magic'll be super convenient! We could be there in a SNAP,'' she said, snapping her fingers and vanishing before poofing up a few meters further in the room, "or carry the stuff like I did with the sack! Of course, I could just magic the stuff up,'' she shrugged, "but that won't be as fun as say, choosing your own tree! Bringing it home, setting it up... And what place isn't used to magic?'' She then questioned.

But Noëlle got a little less cheery as Charlotte questioned her reindeer. "What, Rainy? She'll be fine,'' Noëlle insisted. "Rainy,'' she then said, "do the thing, grow!'' She didn't doubt that Rainy could still do it, and it happened right in front of both of their eyes again, just as Noëlle had seen in the reindeer barn. Within no time, there was a fully grown reindeer standing in Charlotte's home. "See? She'll be fine. Like I said, we can ride or fly her and she can drag the tree back or get any stuff attached to her harness. That's how I got your presents here!''

With impatient excitement, Noëlle turned to the door again. "Now, c'mon, there's so much to do! What do you wanna do first?'' She questioned.
 
Even with the grown size of the deer, she, still felt nervous, as she mopped her face.. Somehow she could guess they weren't getting into town another way. Admitting defeat in her head, she shrugged it off. They HAD seen weirder in the town, and as long as they didn't do anything that would draw attention to themselves, they should be fine..

Letting out a small breath at last, she finally shook her head, and conceded, nodding to the comment about magic being super convenient. She couldn't really deny that, from what magic she had seen and used, it very much was useful in many situations. At last, she spoke.

"Yeah, yeah I guess you're right on that.. Does have an, energy to it that you can't really get when you just kinda, pop it in.. But if we're, using Magic then, I want to ask if we can uh, keep on the down low? Try and be more subtle? Even though people her have seen, WEIRDER..."
She trailed off for a moment, her right hand grabbing onto her left arm and squeezing a bit..
"It's still UNNATURAL to them.. I just, want to be safe, that's all."

At LAST, Charlie grabbed up the heels that went with the dress, and slipped them on, walking to the door and next to Noëlle, letting out a small sigh before opening the front door, and stepping out to the snow covered walkway.. The street was pure white, decorated in a massive blanket of snow, what road was clear was already being peppered with a new and fresh layer..

As Charlie stepped out into the snowy landscape, she looked back at Noëlle, and thought about that last question..
"Hmm.. Yknow what, how about uh, the tree and groceries. Should be in the uh, same area.. If there aren't any like, tree stores around this year usually my, local market stocks them for the Holiday Season. And, well I've been neglecting groceries so, that can work too.. god i'm happy this dress has pockets cause i REALLY need my wallet today it seems.."
 
Reindeers were normal to Noëlle. She hadn't even told Charlotte where she was from, or how she found the woman, or anything for that matter. She just didn't think of it. In fact, she was thinking of how odd this place was. No magic? What did the woman MEAN no magic? Magic was super normal; all the Elves back at home used it to make their work easier and help it along.

Noëlle had her head tilted as she thought about Charlotte's words, a lot. "But... why?'' She eventually asked. "Magic isn't unnatural, it's just...'' She shrugged. "Magic! It can help us, and it can help them, too! Why wouldn't they want that?'' She wondered in a wide armed shrug. "You won't have to carry things, not that you'll have to either way, I mean, Rainy will carry it. But like, we can get so much more if I just magick it! We'll have to take less trips. Though, like I said, walking in the snow can be fun. But it'll take less time! But then we won't have anything to look forward to... Hmm... Well, it's whatever you want!'' She concluded.

Noëlle looked at the snow with an expression of pure joy, her oddly colored eyes twinkling. "Woaaaah!'' She said, skipping outside and dancing in the snow, giggling and laughing with again, pure joy. "This is fun!'' She concluded before getting a little more serious again - as serious as she could get, at least - and making sure Rainy's harness was on good. "Don't you love the silence that comes with snow? And the crunching of snow under your foot? You know what's also fun? Snowmen! Oooh, maybe we should make one. I can make sure it'll NEVER melt, and then you'll have a friend year round! It's so sad when they melt, so back at home we just don't have them melt! We even befriend them.''

Rainy's harness was fine. And so, the reindeer followed the little girl all around like a loyal pet, just as clingy as a dog or a cat would be. May be an odd pet, but it seemed it held every bit the loyalty and love a 'normal' pet would. "So, where do you want to go first? I bet it'll be fun for you to choose a tree. It's just always so special, don't you think? Then, we'll have to get that tree home, but Rainy can drag it. And then the groceries, we can carry those because Rainy will already be carrying the tree.''
Lots of talking from Noëlle. She seemed ever so excited!
 
"Well it's, not exactly a way of life down here. People, don't believe in, a lot of stuff down here, even though there ARE fragments.. They find it, strange, alien, SCARY even.. They can't use magic down here, or anything like that, it's just a thing with, people. It isn't like uh, presumably from where you came from up north it's, different.. Technology rules down here, not magic. People down here call it, well MAGIC but, another classification I've heard, way too much of is.. Paranormal."

She spoke quietly, turning towards town as she looked up the icy road.. Would be one hell of a walk that day that was for certain. And with the chill in the air, and the clouds threatening even MORE snow with dark, looming greys over the entirety of the landscape, Charlie couldn't help but let out a small shiver, in both the sense of the nerves building up regarding the walk, and the temperature..

"it's, not a word i like to refer to often since it, hits way, WAY too close to home for my comfort levels.."
She concluded..

At the mention of the Silence, the young woman tensed up a bit, her right hand drifting to her left arm yet again, as she slowly squeezed it, the pale white of her hands a stark contrast to her usual skin color..

"Well, I.. Yeah it, can be nice but, I haven't had the best experience with silence.. Something always seems to be, lurking in it, using it as the perfect cover to hunt you down.. It's, why I always have a music box playing. It, deprives them of that cover. And it's, soothing. Helps me rest and, calm down.."

At the question of where to go first, she finally relaxed a bit more, and slowly raised her left hand to her chin, the right still holding her arm in a less tightened squeeze.. Letting out a breath into the quiet winter air, she looked towards town again, before drawing IN a breath, and slowly nodding to herself..

"Well, we can always uh, try the store i usually go to. Again they, usually have plenty of christmas stuff up at uh.. well long BEFORE this time of year but this time of year too. and it's where i get my groceries so that, helps."
 
Confusion etched on Noëlle's face as she looked at Charlotte. "They don't believe? Not even in Santa? But... that's so sad!'' She said, looking at the ground for a while. "Why don't they believe? Where do they think the presents come from? Santa comes every year, don't they see the presents under the tree?'' She questioned. And then, "Do they even put up a tree anymore?'' For a moment, she felt sad. "I don't get it,'' she said. "We work so hard to get everyone a lovely Christmas... and they don't believe?'' She blinked rapidly. "You know,'' she then said, "we could show them! Maybe if I show them magic, then they'll believe again, because they've seen it!

Whilst Noëlle didn't really get the fear of silence, she understood that not everyone liked it. Not even she liked it all the time. Noëlle was always used to the hustle and bustle of the workshop, or the quiet munching on hay from the reindeer. Silence in contrast was... well, TOO silent. Noëlle looked around herself to see if there were any people, then twirled her finger above her palm and magicked up a music box. "Here!'' She told the woman, reaching out a hand with it in it. Though Charlotte would pretty soon find out this one only made Christmas music, it was still a music box!
 
"Heh, you'd be out for the next century probably.. People just, don't believe in stuff. SOME do but, it's a smaller margin from what I know.. And, yeah even Santa. Ghosts, the afterlife, Santa, magical beings, so much they just, don't believe in just cause, well, those things don't have substantial evidence or proof to them actually existing.. It's, honestly fruitless to try.. They still put up decorations and it all since they consider the season a time to get together, but they give the sort of, lie I guess to their kids that 'santa' brought their presents, when in actuality it was them putting them under the tree and signing them under his name."

Charlie, as she began to walk towards the store, let out a small sigh, her head raising towards the sky as she smiled to herself, memories of the past flooding to her conscious thoughts..

"I remember when my parents did that.. I found out when I was 11, back in 1981. Heh, finally connected the dots that Santa's handwriting was eerily similar to my dad's, and that kinda gave me the hint. It's been a weird few decades though so, belief is all over the place in terms of a lot.. Ghosts though, I can't help BUT believe in.."

An oddly specific thing to say for a conclusion but, she at least got a bit of the point in.. As she looked at the music box, she carefully wound it up, listening to it's quiet chimes of Silent Night, shutting her eyes with a smile for a few moments.. As she opened them, she looked much more relaxed, the icy blue pigmentation of her irises shimmering a bit as she looked back at Noëlle with a smile on her face.

"Thank you this is, this is wonderful.."

A simple thanks, but hey the message was there at least.
 
Noëlle was silent for a long time. She clenched her tiny little fists. "But... that's a LIE!'' She then exclaimed. "They're lying to their children! Santa is real! How do they explain the extra presents under the tree, or-or the fact that some kids actually meet Santa? He actually doesn't mind being seen by kids, he loves it when they leave behind cookies and milk and sleep by the fireplace or Christmas tree! Why would they lie?'' She wondered.

She didn't even react to Charlotte's thanks, instead looking back. "You say they lie and say Santa exists, but they're not lying, he really does exist! I know! I know he does. And lots of kids know it as well. So what if they find out,'' she said, quoting with her fingers, "that 'he doesn't exist', then how do they explain all of that? If you go to the North Pole right now, and you look really, really hard and Santa lets you in, then you can even see the workshop!''

She was really getting wound up tighter than the music box now. "I don't get it. People don't believe in Santa? He's real! The reindeer are all real, and the sleigh, and the Elves and the workshop, all of it is real, and magic, too!''
Suddenly, she stopped herself from talking, stopped walking, as something horrible dawned on her. Charlotte had just said that she 'found out' that 'Santa didn't exist'. She slowly looked up and in a whisper barely comprehensible above the snowy wind, asked Charlotte a very important question. Perhaps the most important question. "Do you believe in Santa?''
 
"It's just a thing parents do it seems.. Try to, keep the 'magic' alive in a sense before the kids have to, grow up I guess.. And, well, like i said they put the presents under the tree, there is a thing called Mall Santas who take requests of kids.. no actual clue what they DO with those but i actually applied for a position my dad held decades ago before.. everything.. No reply yet but.. hoping that I get the position.."

She spoke as calmly as she could, talking to Noëlle with every bit of sincerity in her voice that she could muster. It, stung her to see someone so upset about something like THIS.. In a sense it, felt as if she was ripping the innocence away from their world perspective.. She, never thought she'd ever have to but, here she stood..

As she listened to Noëlle's ramblings, the talk of existence and, really the ways of the people of the continents below the Arctic, she remained dead silent, taking in every word, but when Noëlle stopped, Charlie stopped, turning towards Noëlle as she asked that question.. Truly, it was the first time she had been asked that in years, DECADES even.. Her existence had been so, focused, she had never thought about it anymore.. She had BEEN up there, a long time ago, she had SEEN what was up there.. And yet..

"I.. I'm not, sure really.."

Charlie's voice sounded, broken, nervous, doubting.. She hadn't thought of that kind of question in years.. Her life had been turned upside down, answers to questions she never thought would ever be answered, things she thought were fake being real.. It.. It was a loaded question, and she visibly looked as if it was, resting her left hand on the back of her neck, and squeezing gently..
 
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