Chapter 4 - Walking in a Western Wonderland

The stars of the night sky remain still as the brisk air takes the clouds Eastward, at an altitude of 10,000km a swift object pierces through the wind like a bullet. Wearing an Arctic blue Winter hat & coat with fluffy white buttons, this is no aircraft, this is a little girl soaring through the thin atmosphere as she approaches Europe

--

*Brass instruments playing Christmas music*

The music fills the air along with the songs of birds as they flap through the narrow medieval streets enclosed by houses of creamy white topped with copper red roofs, colourful lights adorning each building like arrows pointing in the same direction these streets funnel pedestrians towards.

It's 23rd December in the German town of Schweinfurt, 2 days until Christmas & crowds of people are marching neatly to a central destination. This location is Markt, the town square hosting a towering Christmas tree & a mass of red stalls sprinkled with snow appearing like icing sugar. These stalls sell anything from food, clothing & many trinkets to dazzle the hearts of children playing in the slim avenues for walking

???: *Calmly breathing*

Standing near enough in the centre of the square is one little girl wearing a black rucksack tightly over her coat as snow sprinkles her hat like a cupcake, despite this frigid weather the girl remains still like a tree & barely shivers or even reacts to the sprinkles of snow on her red cheeks. Serenely looking up at the grey cloudy sky while taking in the place she stands in & the time of year, it's 14:14 & the Schweinfurt annual Christmas Festival is well underway

Hoshi: *Observing*

She's in her natural state of being still, watching life around her with her orange eyes & muted expression. "There are a greater number of folk here on this date, definitely more than in the 1860s" she notices whilst moving away from the spot she stood in

| Shari Shari |

Snowshoeing with her smooth black jodhpur boots toward a red stall lit up by shining lights on the roof & interior where a middle-aged man wearing a red Christmas costume with a red hat boxing several items before wrapping them in red Christmas wrapping paper. The man at the stall looks at Hoshi with ocean-blue eyes & begins to stroke his cocoa-brown moustache in thought

Stall man: "Hallo Kleine" (Hello little one)

He calls to Hoshi with a large smile

Stallman: "I see you, eyeing my stall. See anything you like?"

He says as Hoshi comes closer, letting the light gradually shine onto her eyes & blue coat

Hoshi: "The lights on your stall looked great from afar so I thought whatever you're selling would be worth your electrical bills"

Stall man: *Gasps quietly*

The man pauses & looks down for a moment, this reaction prompts Hoshi to look away in embarrassment

Hoshi: "May I ask what you are selling here?"

Trying to rectify she asks the man a simple question, hoping that little interaction can be forgotten

Stallman: "Well, my wife & I carve wood for a living. These are the finest we have to offer for Christmas"

The man lights up like the lights of his stall as he lets out a hand to point to the wood carvings on display, he directs his open hand to pointy carvings of trees, large windmills & then to tiny reindeer dotted around the counter all behind a clear glass panel.

Hoshi's orange eyes follow his large fingers as he explains his craft & shows the fruits of said craft, she stares briefly at all the ornaments on display. Stopping to think of the smartest way to proceed with one of these, "let us see. What would Haru San want from here?" she ponders. Taking her finger up to stroke her chin in thought

Stallman: "Take your time, little one. I need to get an extra few from the back"

As the man leaves his position to head to the back of the stall Hoshi spots a strange marking on the corner of the glass panel, in the shape of a square made of dozens of black rectangular objects insinuating the white gaps in between

Hoshi: "Sir, what is this rectangular marking on the glass?"

The man turns sluggishly to see Hoshi pointing in the direction of his left, he turns back to place an item down before he goes to see what she's looking at. From behind the glass panel, he sees a completely white square

Stallman: "That must be the QR-Code"

He assumes she was pointing at the QR-Code, judging from the shape of the sticker from his perspective

Hoshi: "QR-Code?"

She questions prompting the man to turn again, he takes his large hand to stroke his moustache as he thinks of a way to explain. "How can I explain this to her" he wonders

Stallman: "You see, I have a website where people can buy this stuff from & that sign is a way to connect to it using your phone"

After that explanation, she goes silent while her almost emotionless expression changes to one of slight uneasiness. She lowers her head & furrows her brows, "the progression of technology can really creep up on you when you're not paying attention" she thinks as her breathing picks up slightly

Stall man: "Are you ok? You do have a phone right?"

The man clocks her sudden change in attitude & grows worried, he peeps his head out & looks both ways. Seeing crowds on both sides of his stall, none of them looking to be her parents

Stallman: "Are your parents here?"

He asks, going from jolly to concerned within a second

Hoshi: "I do have parents, they are amongst the mass gathering"

She responds within an instant hoping not to cause a scene so far from home, "It's difficult being alone when I look like an infant" she concludes. The man turns back once more to grab an item, he walks to the left edge of the display counter, further from Hoshi & places it down behind the glass panel. He places a modest-sized wood carving of a Hawk resting on a tree stump, the paintwork looks so realistic with its black & orange feathers. Its dark brown eyes reflect light as it stares into the decorations.

Hoshi takes a step closer to admire the work put into such a sculpture, "so elegant in how it has been crafted, this would make a fine display piece of the house" she thinks as Haru comes to her mind smiling like she normally does at Hoshi while hiding the burdens of life from the little girl masking her true power

Hoshi: "Sir, I'll take this carving!"

She says with energy springing in her system as she points to the carving that was just placed

Stallman: "Great choice little one!"

He matches her level of enthusiasm with a bright grin under his moustache, speedily stepping to the back to get back before going back to pull the Hawk out of the display. Hoshi looks on with amazement at the level of care he puts into handling the carving, her eyes widen & lips drop

Hoshi: "Did you paint that?"

She hastily asks before he wraps a thin plastic sheet over it

Stallman: "My wife usually does the painting, she has the hands of God"

She pauses for a moment to take in what she heard, "I've lived in Japan for nearly two decades now so hearing people refer to the Christian deity is uncommon for my ears now" she thinks to herself. The stall man continues to gently wrap the Hawk into the sheet before smoothly lowering it into a larger paper bag

Stallman: "Are you sure you can carry this?"

As he tightens the bag with a long bit of string he notices how short Hoshi is & how small her arms are, remembering she is a child talking to him. "Her way of speaking makes me think I'm talking to an adult" at this realisation he asks

Stallman: "I'll be happy to hold onto this until your parents get here"

Hoshi: "No thank you, but I can carry it to them"

Humbly pleading to take the carving herself. With that the man gifts her with the carving by gradually lowering it into her embrace, she wraps both arms around it as if she were giving a huge hug. "It's not as light as I thought it would be" she thinks as the man lets go for good

Stallman: "I don't suppose you have any money on you"

As he asks for money Hoshi's eyes spring open for a second until she manages to lower the bag onto the snow, smoothly placing it down like a crane lowering heavy objects

Hoshi: "Sorry, how rude of me"

Stallman: "You are a good child"

He says with a smile while brushing off her shortcoming

Stallman: "That is 40 Euros"

At his request, Hoshi paused again & began feeling for her wallet in her coat pocket. Her fluffy mittens manage to reach her wallet, she takes it out & opens it. Inside her wallet is a large number of bills all grouped together based on currency, as she finds the Euros a look of concern fills her face

Hoshi: "What about the D-Mark?" (Deutsche Mark)

After asking this the man tilts his head & his demeanour completely shifts, his smile drops & brow furrows. "How could she possibly know that" he thinks while his limbs freeze, not in the cold but in the moment. The same should be said for Hoshi standing before the stall, hoping to change the momentum she rummages through her wallet & pulls out two blue bills each representing 20 Euros

Hoshi: "Here you go"

She says awkwardly, the man gradually reaches his hand out to grasp the money before placing it in his register. He reaches his right arm out to hand her a card

Stallman: "You're a very intelligent girl if you are curious about our work here's my card. we're located in Bad Kissingen"

She softly clutches the card & places it in her pocket

Hoshi: "I'll certainly take a look"

Light comes back to her face as she takes the card, this light carries to the man who smiles kindly to the child with golden hair. With a short wave from the man & a gentle bow from Hoshi the two-part ways, she waddles along through the mass tightly hugging the souvenir she bought

--

24th December, it's late evening on Christmas Eve in the Swedish town of Vara

Outside a small white chapel, Hoshi stands comfortably in her blue coat. She keeps her arms close as her feet stay firmly planted in clean white snow, keeping her normal attitude of emotionless staring & stern posture. Despite this, she is met with kindness & adoration from the folk walking out of the church, her hand is not left unshaken & hair not tasselled by the people of this small town but she's not waiting for them. There is one individual she anticipates meeting on these twilight hours of Christmas Eve

???: "Yoohoo! Hey!"

Her eyes expand after hearing a familiar voice, she turns left to see the entrance of the chapel. "I haven't heard this voice in years" a short burst of enthusiasm spills out of her deadpan persona, a gentle smile & glowing orange eyes

???: "Is that Stella Gullig!?"

The voice calling her something else came from an unsuspecting source, an old man no shorter than Hoshi steps out of the chapel entrance with a cane supporting his posture. He had a large pointy red hat & long beard as white as the snow he walks into

Hoshi: "Hallå Detmar!"

She greets the old man with glee as he picks up his pace to reach her with a warm endearing smirk

Detmar: "It really has been years since our last encounter, you haven't aged a day Stella"

Detmar says as he gives her a gentle hug, Hoshi reciprocates by wrapping her arms around him & giving off a warm glow

Detmar: "You always gave the sweetest hugs"

He says as the disconnect

Hoshi: "It's odd, I haven't heard anyone call me Stella in a very long time"

Hearing this Detmar laughs with a jolly smile

Detmar: "What was it you go by now? Rionna?" (From the Scottish word Rionnag meaning Star)

Hoshi: "That was when I was living in Scotland"

She says with a straight face more in line with her normal demeanour

Hoshi: "The name I've recently adopted is Hoshi & I live in Japan now"

Hearing that Detmar feels a sense of realisation as his stone-blue eyes widen

Detmar: "Oh that sounds very familiar now, you said you'd go back to one of those oriental countries"

Hoshi accompanies this elder out of the chapel's courtyard & down the streets of Vara, chatting like old friends who haven't seen each other in years. "The last time we spoke like this the electric calculator hit the shelves, he only looked a few years younger than he does now" Hoshi begins reminiscing on the old times. "This man is not a Human, Detmar is a Nisse. A Monster who lives primarily in Scandinavia, they often times grow their beards long & wear pointy hats like this fellow"

--

In a modest-sized grey room, Hoshi calmly sits at a strong country pine wooden table with a large cream-coloured sheet draped on top covering the wooden texture, the sheet was plain with several stains dotted across the surface highlighting its age. Along with the sheet this room is filled with antiquated possessions like an old box TV & a stiff display case containing aged vases.

Hoshi relaxed at the table admiring the collection of trinkets in the display case & abundance of relics of the past, "It's like I am back in the 1960s in this room" she remarks while sitting back in a carefree mode

Detmar: "Stella Gullig! I found them"

She turns her head to the source of Detmar's voice, he steps in from the doorway carrying a large cardboard box

Hoshi: "Are you in need of help? Detmar"

She hastily gets out of her chair to inquire about him but he shakes his head in refusal

Detmar: "Don't worry about me, it's just paper in this box"

He sternly declines her help as he gently places the box on the edge of the table & unfolds the flaps covering the top, inside the box is a pile of clear white A4 paper

Detmar: "I remember when you used to love making these with Margareta"

As he utters that name their face swore for a moment as darkness falls upon both of them, "It's been so long since I heard that name spoken" Hoshi thinks as she grabs the sides of her cardigan

Detmar: "I alla fall, let us enjoy this splendid blast from the past. Shall we?"

He says lightening the atmosphere with his generous smile, grabbing several sheets of paper & placing them on the table for the two of them

Detmar: "You do remember how to make these right?!"

Detmar questions as he sits down takes a sheet of plain white paper & starts folding. Within 10 seconds this one sheet becomes a 5-pointed paper star, he takes it up to show Hoshi who is stunned by his level of skill in what is essentially Origami. "He made such a straight & symmetrical star at great speed, without a single crease in the paper" her orange eyes wide open & fixed on this paper star. Her eyes move to the pile of paper in the middle of the table, she furrows her brows & takes a sheet with a look of determination. "It hasn't been centuries, I can surely do this"

--

Hoshi sits with her face down, slouching her back as several crinkled pieces of paper occupy her side of the table. A gloomy cloud hovers over her head darkening her body.

Meanwhile, Detmar's side of the table is radiant with a small collection of figures made of paper. Stars, Angels & even a Japanese-style crane as white as a feather

Detmar: "I thought you were living in Japan now?"

The Nisse says with a smug smirk, he strokes his beard as if it were a cat lying on his lap

Hoshi: "It's only been 4 decades, I couldn't have forgotten such a crucial skill"

She murmurs, resting her forehead on the solid table surface. Refusing to show her face to Detmar

Detmar: "I take it they don't fold paper like they used to"

His smile turns into a frown as he lowers his gaze, facing his creations in disappointment contrasting the expression he had moments earlier

Detmar: "Hoshi"

Immediately changing the subject he turns to Hoshi & addresses her not as Stella but by the name she said she went by nowadays, hearing an old voice from her past calling to her in a way she never thought he would Hoshi springs out of her slump & looks to him with a great deal of curiosity

Hoshi: "Detmar?"

Detmar: "What's the real reason you're here?"

Without hesitation, he asks her a direct question with a serious look

Hoshi: "…"

She turns to face the crumpled pages in front of her & takes a moment to consider her answer, "So he suspected my true motives. He's correct, I didn't come here to see him. But should I reveal the truth to him?" she considers as she looks at him in with a rare face of discomfort. "How much of the truth can he handle?"

Hoshi: "I came back to Vara because it was a convenient stop on my way to somewhere else but I did truly want to revisit this town & see how you were doing"

As she speaks she grips the bottom of her cardigan

Detmar: "Oh…I see"

Detmar begins to stutter at the sight of something he never thought he'd see. Hoshi, this great & powerful being from space sits on that chair unable to control her eyes as an unsettling feeling grows in her from this interaction

Detmar: "I'm not angry at you. On the contrary, I'm pleased you made room to see an old friend"

Hoping to lift her spirits he immediately changes his tune & smiles at her while his pointy ears twitch up & down

Hoshi: "I'm the one who's pleased to see you again after so long"

She responds with a smile of her own, a cute child-like beam capable of melting hearts

Detmar: *Chuckling*

He laughs slightly at the sight of Hoshi's innocent smile

| Kacha |

The sound of a door abruptly opening comes from the room adjacent to this one, this causes Detmar to smile even more as warm sensation brews in his heart

???: "Hej, I'm home Detmar"

Detmar: "Oh if it isn't Henrietta, come here. I have someone you'd love to meet"

The sound of the door opening was quickly followed by a female voice, this voice urged Detmar to speak up & call her in. The name Henrietta instantly entered Hoshi's ears like a bolt of lightning, she eagerly sits up with her back straight. Even slightly adjusting her hair to make sure it's neat, "Oh dear! I didn't expect to see Henrietta today! Oh no! I hope my hair looks good" her name enters a frenzy as the steps of this other person gets louder. A middle-aged woman approaches the room, stepping in from the doorway.

Henrietta towers over Detmar & Hoshi as she enters the room wearing a white cardigan with beautifully intricate black patterns going well with her dark grey jeans, she parts her copper-shaded brown hair to the side to see a face she hasn't seen in far too long. Her cornflower blue eyes meet Hoshi's bright orange ones, the two gave an intense stare of pure shock & an inability to act in each other's presence, "She's incredibly tall now, definitely dwarfing me but even in Japan she would certainly be on the taller end". As Hoshi struggles to find words to say Henrietta bends down to take her shoes off, "I reckon she tied those lases up all on her own" Hoshi guesses as she looks at Henrietta gradually untie her shoes

Detmar: "Henrietta, Stella…As she goes by, Hoshi is stopping by to say hello after so long. Isn't that exciting?"

Hoping to fill the air with joy Detmar speaks, anticipating an answer from the woman whose house he takes care of

Henrietta: "I've had a long day Detmar, I'm just going to sleep"

She says while turning her back to Hoshi

Henrietta: "It was nice to see you Stella…I mean Hochi"

She begins to walk out of the room

Hoshi: "Wait!"

Henrietta suddenly stops at Hoshi's resounding order but her face remains away from the Esper sitting at the table

Hoshi: "I have a present for you"

She says as she rummages through the rucksack she came with, sticking her short arm into the back for a moment until her face lights up. She takes out a small box wrapped in white Christmas wrapping

Hoshi: *Stands up*

She gets out of the chair & starts walking towards Henrietta still avoiding this young girl, aiming her gaze away from the child stretching her arms out to give the present

Hoshi: "God Jul"

Calmly saying Merry Christmas in Swedish with a smile as big as her heart, stretching her arms out further to reach Henrietta who stands tall like a tree. However not being able to keep this up anymore Henrietta turns to look down at Hoshi who is eagerly waiting to gift the present

Henrietta: "You really haven't aged a day"

Saying this with calm eyes, giving a gentle smile as her heart fills with nostalgia. Henrietta gradually takes the present & admires how it's wrapped with her tranquil demeanour

Henrietta: "God Jul, sorry I haven't got anything for you at the moment. I didn't know you were coming"

Hoshi: "No need, it's Christmas. I am not looking for a present in return"

She shakes her head denying any present that Henrietta could gift her

Henrietta: "Let me atleast make you something, you must have travelled far"

Detmar: "Can Hoshi stay for longer?"

Detmar pleads for Hoshi to stay longer with his large stone blue eyes begging like a puppy with his pointy ears & white beard, Hoshi appears unphased by this. "If this means I can be on good terms with Henrietta then I'll indulge in a nice beverage"

Hoshi: "I accept"

With that Henrietta lets out a short burst of enthusiasm before heading into the kitchen, Hoshi stands by the doorway watching on with a proud feeling as she gives a tender smile at the situation

Detmar: "So Hoshi, mind telling a little old house helper like me where it is you plan on going this Christmas"

The words from the jolly Nisse cause Hoshi's smile to drop slightly as she angles her head to the left a tiny bit, twitching her finger while trying to find the best way to address her situation. "How much of my story should I say to Detmar? As he's an old friend he deserves to know everything but I'm dealing with so much" she ponders. While the three stay within the warm walls of Henrietta's house the sun has long since set under the horizon, as darkness sets in so do the brisk weather

--

| Shaa shaa |

In the dead of night, the wind steadily picks up but this doesn't stop Hoshi as she races through this mighty blizzard engulfing Northern Sweden

| Zaa zaa |

Her time with Detmar & Henrietta sadly concluded with Hoshi's departure to the frozen plateaus of Lule Saami, what many people around the World call Lapland. Despite her glistening orange eyes lighting up her flight path all she can see is darkness & hundreds of snowflakes falling sideways, "I can't tell if these snowflakes are falling down or sidewards" she ferociously ponders as the forceful winds snatch her from her pursuit & through her around like a ragdoll. As she loses control her limbs frantically lash out, arms & legs waving intensely to counter the wind's pull. However, these actions lead to nothing as this thunderous tempest drags her down

| Shaa shaa |

Hoshi: "Ahh!"

She screams, cupping her hands over her ears to muffle the deafening howl of the storm. Bringing her knees up she buries her head like an animal hiding from predators, this only accelerates her descent downwards as she takes the form of a ball

Hoshi: "Ahh ahh!"

Her voice cries out as fear hastily builds in her chest, her heart rate increases, her breaths become rapid, the flaps on her rucksack thrashing & her hair waves out of control. "I'm deeply sorry Haru San, Neko San, Shika Chan, Chieko…" all she could think of now are the ones important to her. "Though I may not die here, I just wish I could be with them now. One day before Christmas" are her final thoughts as she gradually shuts her eyes & calms her breathing. Her heart rate steadily decreases as she lets her limbs calmly expand, the eye of the storm gets further away as she begins to silently glide to the ground below these sinister clouds

--

After several hours, gone was the thundering blizzard, in its place a calm breeze & the sun shining upon a large plateau coloured white by snow. A gingerbread man-shaped figure lies underneath that snow near a bare-bone dead tree, the only sign of plant life in this snow-covered plateau.

As the sun rises higher & shines brighter on the landscape the fingers of this figure twitch, the white powdery snow above begins to wiggle up & down, backwards & forwards like waves on the ocean. Not long after a small pasty white hand bursts out, fingers balling to make a fist before slamming into the ground. This was accompanied by the torso of this short person lifting out of the thick frosty sheet, snow started to flow down her face & chest revealing the blue jacket & iconic golden hair of Miyano Hoshi. Her eyelids gradually open causing the minuscule snowflakes caught in her eyelashes to fall like feathers onto her cheeks reddened by the blistering cold, "Safely back on the ground" she thinks with a dead expression of expectations being met

Hoshi: *Calmly breathing*

She allows the cold breeze to enter her lungs, feeling the crisp air with every breath. As she does this a large ray of sunshine is placed on her like a spotlight at a theatre. This light radiates a gentle warmth to her face melting the tiny specks of ice & wetting her cheeks, "I am alive so I can continue to enrich the lives of those I care for" a soft smile forms as she thinks about the people in her life. Haru, Shika, Neko, Chieko, even Kida Kun as well as the many she's met throughout the recent decades

| Chin chin |

In the distance, Hoshi begins to hear a faint jingle, as if tiny bells were attached to something moving

| Chin chin |

In no time those jingles got louder but now they were accompanied by something marching in the snow, Hoshi tilts her head to the right at the sound of large feet gently treading in the snow. Firmly crunching with every step. Despite the cold weather surrounding this girl, these bells & footsteps bring her a feeling of warm reassurance as she can straighten her back, sit upright & think to herself. "I am not alone". She aims her head to spot where these sounds are coming from & as she does the sight that gets caught in her view causes her orange eyes to widen in awe, a bunch of reindeer all neatly arranged in pairs & marching in the same direction. She sees their thick antlers resembling tree branches protruding out of their heads & dense fur, each reindeer having a distinct shade of fur from brown to beige & even grey.

They seemed to be on their own, deliberately marching in a single direction with the discipline of an army. Tiny gold bells rang with every step, "The Saami are famous for domesticating reindeer, as I am in Saami country seeing such magnificent creatures shouldn't be a surprise" she thought.

Their slow pace allows Hoshi to sit comfortably & admire these reindeer & their level of control, it's not long until she sees why they're positioned in that way. Each of these deer is tightly fastened to large red ropes connecting the deer & feeding themselves to a single point.

Hoshi sees that these reindeer are all toeing something large & heavy, she focuses her eyes on this object to find greater detail & she is not left disappointed. "Goodness gracious, do my eyes deceive me?" The reindeer approaches the tree Hoshi to rest beside, as they get closer the object they're toeing becomes ever clearer. A large wooden sleigh painted as red as cranberry with a bright golden frame & runners.

Surprised doesn't come close to the emotions swirling in Hoshi's heart as her eyes remain widened open & mouth slightly agape, from an outsiders perspective this can be easily explained away as a very expensive Saami sleigh with tough well treated reindeer & a luxurious vehicle for their master(s) but to her as well as perhaps billions of people around the world this sleigh represents something deeply familiar & in line with the spirit of the season

| Saku saku |

As she takes in this extraordinary sight her ears pick up a different pair of feet crunching the snow in their approach, the sound enticing her to turn further right

???: "Ho ho Hoshi!"

A boisterous man's voice is carried with the wind to Hoshi as she looks upon this large figure dressed in red, wearing a floppy red hat trimmed in white fur & a pompom gently flapping about behind. This hefty gentleman smiles down at Hoshi as he towers over her 

Hoshi: "I should have expected to meet you here, St Nicholas"

She says with a calm demeanour as she looks up at the man stroking his fully grown white beard

Santa Claus: "Ho it's been a long time, little one"

Hoshi: "Little one? I am far older than you. By 750 years, I'll have you know"

She lets her emotions out & as a result pouts like a child resembling her appearance, pushing her lips to the side & turning with them. Letting her golden hair wave in the air as she closes her eyes to dismiss him

Santa: Claus: "That may be so but I possess a great power that's capable of moving mountains"

He says with a deep masculine voice, booming with might

Hoshi: "Oh, what great power can you bear that could match my ability to literally move mountains?"

She turns back to Santa with a look that almost seems sarcastic, speaking as if she's mocking him

Santa Claus: "I have the power to bring joy to every soul in the World! An ability you've found trouble in as of late"

raising his hands to his chest Santa exclaims like a gladiator announcing himself with his hands out as a display of dominance. In response, Hoshi lowers her head

Hoshi: "There was no need to go that far"

She says with the soft voice of a child, she gets up from the snow-covered ground leaving a silhouette of herself. A Snow Angel

Santa Claus: "Ho ho…oh"

He begins to change tune, a loud extravagant temperament replaced with a calm subdued one as he acknowledges how far he has reached

Santa Claus: "But isn't that why you journeyed to this place? To see me about what troubles your life?"

Hoshi: "Can this not just be a retreat for me? To go where to a place where no Human can find me?"

She responds with her own series of questions before looking down once again, "I'm a 1500-year-old Esper with such power & knowledge that comes with living that long, why is this so difficult for me"

Hoshi: "Actually, my reason for coming here was to see the Saami. It's rare to catch a glimpse of them now, especially from where I live"

She raises her head & speaks however negative emotions continue to swell in her heart, she starts pacing away towards the reindeer

Hoshi: "This World has changed too much for me in so little time, it's hardly recognizable anymore"

She stops moving & just stands in between Santa & his sleigh, her back to him as she faces the magic sleigh. Santa on the other hand fixates on her & the words she says to him, gradually caressing his beard as he thinks of what to say next

Santa Claus: "As someone who's lived for many centuries, seeing the progression of Humanity through the years is quite an experience"

He begins to walk towards her, then passes her to reach his reindeer. Proceeding to stroke Vixen's furry neck & head as he hums a festive tune

Santa Claus: *Humming*

The humming immediately ceases before he turns to Hoshi fixing in her place further away from them

Santa Claus: "But seeing the changes is one of the things I look forward to the most"

Hoshi looks at him in complete shock, as brows furrow & lips twitch. She expresses her confusion & subtle feeling of disgust at the possibility of seeing things get worse than they are now. "Perhaps living in Lapland has deluded him to what truly ails the rest of the World"

Hoshi: "I have met hundreds of souls across my long life on this planet, I learnt a vast amount of skills over the ages & even fell in love only to see all those things taken away from me with time"

Seeing this as an opportunity to lash out at something, Hoshi directs her contempt to the symbol of the holiday season. Jolly Kris Kringle himself remains calm, watching Hoshi let out her emotions

Hoshi: "& as of late the things I turn to for comfort, consistency is gradually being taken away as this World becomes something I can't bear to witness anymore"

Her resonant emotional rant begins to slide into a mellow monologue as she runs out of ways to express the same point, "I refuse to let out anymore"

Hoshi: "I'm lonely. & afraid of seeing new people disappear to time"

Santa raises his eyebrows as he takes in every word she says

Santa Claus: *Sighs*

Slightly sighing as he prepares his response, clearing his throat as well

Santa Claus: "When I see this World, it doesn't look like one I can exist as a symbol for children to look up to anymore. Even outsourcing my work to parents has negatively affected my ability to connect to the children"

He lets go of Vixen & walks to Hoshi, he continues his own monologue

Santa Claus: "There is so much suffering & destruction in this World, Hoshi…but this does not hinder my effort to spread joy. In fact"

He reaches her, bends his knees until he's at her eye level & puts his thick red mitten on her shoulder

Santa Claus: "It means there are so many people in this World that need the magic of Christmas in their lives & that is what I'm going to give them"

His sky-blue eyes stare into Hoshi's orange ones, after making his point he stands back up & proceeds to walk back to the sleigh leaving her mesmerized by his drive to continue in an unjust World. "He really does give everything to this job, the level of care he has for Humanity is admirable. I used to have it to that extent". As she silently takes in his message the reindeer start wagging their antlers like excited dogs wagging their tails, bells jingling intensely as they prepare themselves for take-off. "But I must express my gratitude before he leaves" she realizes

Hoshi: "St Nicholas! Wait!"

Hearing the voice of a child call out to him Santa instinctively turns to listen

Santa Claus: "Ho?"

He shouts, raising his arm to his left ear

Hoshi: "Thank you!"

Santa responds with a wink of the eye & a jolly smile before sitting back onto his sleigh

Hoshi: "Wait! Just one last question St Nicholas!"

Santa Claus: "What is it!? my child?"

Hoshi: "Does one ever get drained of wearing red all of the time!?"

Santa initiates the hovering sequence on his sleigh by pressing a few buttons as she asked. After this, he takes his right arm down to a special compartment under the dashboard, he lifts up his hand to reveal a chilled bottle of black liquid with a red label saying "Cola" on it

Santa Claus: "Spreading joy to the World isn't cheap! Ho ho ho!!"

He cheers as he breaks the cap off the glass bottle & takes deep gulps

Santa Claus: "That's the stuff"

He says as the reindeer start their galloping motions through the air, propelling the sleigh forwards

Santa Claus: "On Dasher!"

At high speeds, the sleigh zooms into the sky taking a trail with him. This trail of lime green & white appears similar to the Northern lights blanketing the sky. Hoshi is delighted to see such a gracious display can't hold back her bright beaming smile & uncontrollable jerks of enjoyment. Until she sees the position of the sun approaching the highest point in the sky, this is where she realizes

Hoshi: "It's the day of Christmas"