A/N: Alright! Last chappie time!
Cortex: (sigh) I hope it's a long one…
Crash: (looks chappie over) It is!!
Cortex: YAY!! :D
Chappie time! :)
The Secretest Santa: Chapter 7: Christmas Morning
Christmas morning seemed to sneak up on everyone, one way or another. Nevertheless, all Smashers gathered in the lounge, where all the presents had been placed under the shining tree. Mario and Peach passed out the gifts to each anxious Smasher. They began getting confused when each Smasher began getting two presents instead of one.
Peach looked curiously at one of the labels. "'Secretest Santa?'"
"Don't worry about it," Mario said quietly. "A gift's a gift."
Once the gifts were all passed out, a frenzy of ripping paper and "oohs" and "ahhs" began. In minutes, there was a mess of wrapping paper on the floor and endless chatter started as each Smasher discovered who their Secret Santa was.
"Oh, wow, cool! Thanks, Pikachu!"
"Alright! Dude, Fox, you rock! I've always wanted this!"
"Aw, Luigi, you shouldn't have…"
Roy hastily opened his gift and gasped. "Oh, a Rage Against the Machine CD! Cool!" He looked down at Link, who sat on the floor in his pajamas, half-asleep.
Link looked up groggily at Roy. "…What?"
"…You got this for me, didn't you?"
"Well… y-yeah…"
Roy grinned. "I knew it! Open yours!"
Link dropped his gaze down to the small gift on the floor before him. Slowly, he lifted it up and ripped off the paper to reveal a burned CD labeled in thick, black marker "Link's Favorites."
"I downloaded a lot of songs you listen to on the radio but don't have on CDs," Roy explained. "The list's on the inside cover. See, there's some Beastie Boys, Modest Mouse, Sublime…"
Link glanced down the list, a grin spreading across his face. "Sweet. Thanks, Roy."
Roy's face beamed. "Merry Christmas, Link!"
Link chuckled softly. "Yeah, Merry Christmas, Roy."
Marth smiled at Link at that statement. As soon as all the Secret Santa gifts were opened and thank yous were exchanged, each Smasher began getting a little…confused by the present count.
"Huh…? Hey, here's another present!"
"'Secretest Santa?' Who's that!?"
"Who cares? It's another gift!"
Excited agreement cycled through the room as once again a frenzy of ripping paper began, but the Smashers' responses were a lot more satisfied.
"EEEE!!! What an adorable robe!! I've ALWAYS wanted this!"
"Hmm… The first four chronicles of Discworld… Sounds cool!"
"AAAAAHHHH!!!!! OH MY GOD!!! THE SPECIAL EDITION SCARY MOVIE TRILOGY ON DVD!!!!!!!!!"
Link smiled to himself as he witnessed the happy looks on their faces as they opened their gifts, especially Zelda. When she opened the box and gasped in delight at her new halter-top dress, Link sighed in satisfaction.
He had even gotten Ganondorf a gift, though he hadn't list anything on the Wish List. Link smiled as the warlock opened the box and brought out a large snow globe, mounted on a tiny, hand-carved black castle with the carving of a black dragon inside the globe. Ganondorf stared at it curiously, then shook it to have the black and red confetti float around inside the globe and shimmer. Ganondorf stared at it a little longer, then Link caught a small smile on his face, and that satisfied Link enough.
"Alright!" Roy held his new electric guitar in his hands, looking down at Link. "Hey, Link, open yours!"
Link gave him a puzzled look, then glanced down at the other present before him. Sure enough, it was labeled "To Link, form the Secretest Santa."
Strange, he silently mused. I don't remember getting myself a present… He soon shrugged and grabbed the gift, ripping off the paper to reveal a long, mahogany box with golden hinges. Slowly, he opened the box and looked inside, eyes wide with amazement.
There it was, his dream knife, the leaf knife, sheathed neatly in its holder. He brought it out and exposed the stainless steel leaf blade. He turned it over in his hands, looking at it in awe as it looked better than it did in the window.
"Wow, neat!" Roy commented. "That knife totally fits you! What're you gonna call it?"
Link smiled up at Roy. "Razorleaf."
"See, Link?" Marth nudged him. "I told you a Secret Santa would get it for you!"
"Man, this Secretest Santa dude ROCKS!!!" Bowser roared happily.
"Yeah!" piped up Ness, holding his new GBA SP. "I hope he comes back next year!"
The Smashers all cheered in agreement as they broke off to set aside their gifts and head out for breakfast. Link was the last to leave with two things on his mind: the satisfaction of his happy companions and the confusion of who gave him Razorleaf.
----------
Most of the Smashers were helping with the ham, potatoes, eggnog, and other food for the big Christmas dinner. But somehow, Zelda managed to slip out of the kitchen and approached a certain dorm. She opened it to see Link looking over his knife while listening on his headphones, most likely to his newest CD. As she closed the door, he brought his gaze up and turned off the CD player.
"Wow…" Link breathed. "Zelda, you look…amazing…"
She was wearing the beautiful halter-top dress, with a bit of makeup, but not too much. Link was truly amazed at how well it fit her and how good she looked in it.
Zelda smiled sweetly. "Thank you. Then again, I wouldn't have ever gotten this dress if it wasn't for you."
Link sat up, surprised. "H-how did you know…?"
"Marth told me everything." She sat on the bed beside him. "Link, this is the most gracious thing you've ever done for us all at SSBM Mansion. You spent all your time and money and spread Christmas cheer like no one else could."
Link grinned sheepishly and looked her up and down again. "So… You like that dress?"
Zelda smiled affectionately. "I absolutely love it."
"Good," Link grinned. "Cause you don't know what I went through to get you that."
Zelda giggled as she scooted closer to him.
Link dropped his gaze down at his knife. "But it's weird… I never bought this…"
"Yes," Zelda began. "Marth and I knew that as well. We knew the others would get suspicious if you hadn't gotten a gift of your own, so I knew exactly what to get you."
Link looked back up at Zelda and smiled. "Aw, Zel…" He reached over and embraced her with one arm lovingly.
After he drew away, Zelda asked, "So, do you get it now?"
It took Link a minute to think about what she meant, then he nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I do… I get it now… And here I thought it was all about greed and extravagant spending…"
"No no no, that all came when people got rich and spoiled," Zelda joked, getting him to laugh. "But no, Christmas is really about gathering together and spreading joy. That's the true spirit of Christmas, and no one could ever do it like you did."
Link smiled warmly, and they exchanged a brief, comforting silence. So, Link was proven wrong, and despite his usual resentment of being proved wrong, he felt pretty okay about it. It was worth it if it turned a gloomy time into a lot more pleasant time for him.
Zelda smiled. "Shouldn't we go help with the dinner?"
"Sure," Link agreed as they both stood and approached the door.
"So, Link," Zelda continued as they strolled down the empty hallways. "How long do you intend to have this go on for, without telling the others, that is?"
Link grinned. "As long as I can."
----------
Another year came and gone, and it was once again Christmas time at the SSBM Mansion. Once more the rooms and halls were filled to the brim with Christmas cheer and the smell of gingerbread and eggnog.
Link pushed open the door to the lounge and back into the room, making slow hand gestures as he moved. "Okay, keep going, back it in, carefully…"
Out of the doorway behind him came a large pine tree, carried by Mario, Peach, Fox, and Roy carefully as they moved towards the corner of the room.
"Almost… now!"
With care, they placed the tree down and tilted it until it stood upright. They all backed off, looking it over.
"Hey, Link, you're right!" Roy grinned. "It does look better than the one last year!"
"Yeah," Fox agreed. "The leaf foliage looks healthy and the branches look stronger."
"Well, they're better when they're freshly cut."
"Yeah, it may have cost a little more, but it looks like it could withstand more ornaments," Mario added.
"Yeah, but let's not do the garland this year, it looks too tacky," Link reasoned. "Why don't we try the Christmas lights in the closet instead?"
"Hey, that's a good idea!" Peach agreed.
"I'll go get the lights, then," said Mario, approaching the door.
"I'll help."
"Me too!"
"Dibs on plugging them in!"
Link smiled in amusement as they all left to retrieve the lights. His sharp hearing then forced him to turn and look upon Luigi, who stood with his back turned to the Hylian, holding a folded-up piece of paper and shuffling cautiously in a tiny box for a pin.
"Hey, Luigi."
"WAH!!" the young plumber jumped, turning sharply and nervously to face Link. "Dang it, Link, don't DO that! I nearly pricked myself!"
"Sorry," Link apologized, dropping his gaze down to the paper in his gloved hand. "What's that?"
Luigi quickly hid it behind his back and sulked. "None of your business!"
"Hey, come on, I won't tell anyone. Promise."
Hesitantly, Luigi cleared his throat. "Well…" he began, shuffling for a pin. "You remember the Secretest Santa guy from last year?"
Link nodded. "Yeah."
"Well, I kinda… wrote him a little letter, in case, y'know, he's real after all…"
"Well, why wouldn't he be?"
Luigi froze before placing the pin firmly into the bulletin board to post up his enclosed letter. "Well… I've kinda been talking with some of the guys… They said the Secretest Santa guy is fake… that he won't come back…"
Link shook his head ruefully. It was true- there were still non-believers out there.
"Link…? Do you think he's real?" Luigi asked timidly.
The elf chuckled. "Hey, if he can get me to believe, me of all people, then I think he's real enough."
Luigi's face instantly brightened. "Really?"
"Yeah, don't let those other guys push down on your Christmas spirit. I'm sure they'll get their lesson soon enough."
"Thank, Link." Luigi stepped away from the board. "Now don't you go reading it! It's for the Secretest Santa only!"
"Got it." Though it was tempting to read then and there, Link knew he would get to read it eventually.
Luigi looked at the letter posted on the board, sighing. "You really think he'll do it again this year?"
Link smiled and put an arm around his shoulder. "Yeah, I have a good feeling he will."
Luigi smiled cheerfully up at the Hylian. "Thanks a lot, Link. I'm gonna go get some eggnog, you want any?"
"Nah, I'm good."
Link patiently waited for the plumber to leave before he snatched the letter off the board, slyly slipping it into his pocket.
Yep, the Secretest Santa would come back again this year. He was sure of that.
THE END
HAPPY HOIDAYS!!!
A/N: YAY!! WE'RE ALL DONE!! (pops a Christmas cracker and confetti flies everywhere) HAPPY CHRISTMAHANUKWANZA!!(if that's how you spell it XD) Okay, guys, gather around! (the whole cast of Nintendo appears by Crash and Cortex) A-one, a-two…
All: (singing) We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Crash: Good tidings we bring…
Cortex: To you and your king!
All: Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Cortex: (slow and loud) And a Happy New YearrrRRRRRR!!! (high-pitched and shatters the windows)
Crash: (grinning) Nice.
Yay! Review, people, and Happy Holidays from all of us!!
All: (wave and cheer)