A Very Merry Kishmas, Epilogue

Under the cover of night, the trio gathered around Santa in Central Park, Rein the Reindeer grunting as Santa checked the magical sled that popped up, already hooked onto her ride. Kisha was glad people were too distracted by other things to notice them.

After she made sure everything was set, Santa turned to the others and bowed as she said, “Thank you so much for all you’ve done! Without you guys, I don’t… I don’t know what I would have done!”

“Eh, it’s nothing,” Kisha replied with a smile. “All in a day’s work.”

Santa did not seem pleased with this answer, ears drooping as she frowned. “I-I hope your work doesn’t involve a lot of close calls like that…”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.” Yep, let’s not mention the other perilous situations she got herself in. Like fighting a spirit that haunted a stage, getting in a tussle with a sentient island hellbent on making everyone recognize him as perfect, and last, but not least, fighting a god who went absolute batshit. “But what about those presents? We can probably help find them-”

“They’re in space.”

Edward and Jaz were busy enjoying coffee. Not for long, as Edward spat out what he had, while Jaz choked hers down. “…You lost presents,” Jaz asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion, “in space?”

“Yep,” Santa replied. “They shot me down while I was coming over here, so the presents are lost in space. So um, much as you might wanna help with that, I… I think I have it from here!”

The trio exchanged glances, Jaz staring at Kisha and mouthing, “Santa’s an alien.”

Alien or not, though, Kisha did get close and whispered, “S-so, the mob boss told me you already know what people want… Meaning, you already know what my friends want, right? Why’d you ask me for help with that?”

Santa glanced over at Kisha’s two friends, both occupied with their phones before she whispered back, “It wouldn’t feel genuine if you didn’t pick out the gifts, you know?”

“S-still, you gotta tell me!” Kisha leaned in closer, eyes wide, pleading. “Wh-what DO they want? From me, I mean?!?”

The bunny girl simply smiled and said, “Your company’s the greatest gift you could provide. If you don’t believe me, ask them!” She then hopped in her sleigh, Kisha dumbfounded as the sleigh levitated. The bunny girl waved at the gang as she shouted, “Thank you for everything! Good bye, and have a very Merry Christmas!”

All Kisha could do was wave with her friends as Santa took off into the night sky, her silhouette visible against the backdrop of the moon. After enough waving, though, Edward turned to Kisha with a smile as he asked, “Well, that sure was a thrill, wasn’t it? Good thing that gun jammed or…” He fell silent for a moment, his smile looking more awkward by the minute.

“Probably Chjawuamn pulling some strings again,” Jaz pointed out as she looked directly at Kisha.

Kisha shrugged. “Who can say? Not like a bullet would keep me down for THAT long, anyway…”

Jaz rolled her eyes. “Nope, that’s Chjawuamn’s doing. If it was just a coinkydink, you wouldn’t have gotten up so fast. God knows I wouldn’t after a beatdown like that.”

“...M-maybe I’m just a stubborn bastard,” Kisha retorted weakly. She DID feel something during that whole mess. Some otherworldly power, pushing her onward.

Jaz continued to stare blankly at her before she shrugged and sipped her coffee. “Whatever you say, Kish. For now, let’s just get some proper grub already. Beatdowns make me hungry.”

“Then we can go last minute Christmas shopping, right?” Edward piped up. The girls stared at him for a second before heading off without him, much to his disappointment. “Awww, don’t you guys wanna go shopping now? You know, after all that hustle and bustle?”

“Let’s talk AFTER food, Ed.”

“After getting throttled in Target? Nah.”

So the three friends set off, to laugh and enjoy themselves over dinner, excitedly recounting the misadventure to their friends in Discord. And on Christmas Day, even Kisha’s tree had plenty of gifts underneath, the girl hearing a distinct “Hohoho!” as a cold wind brushed against her boarded-up window.

By far, the merriest Christmas Kisha ever had.