Disclaimers: I own Nothing
Authors Beginning Note:I meant to post before Christmas...I obviously didn't. Please forgive me!
The Christmas Dragon
Chapter 1
The Gift
"Chi!" I held a finger up to my mouth for him to be quiet.
"Chi! I want to look too!"
"Shh, or someone will hear you." I whispered down to my little cousin. He looked ready to cry, but thought better of it. Letting out a small breath, I looked through the small key hole into the drawing room where all of the grown ups were.
I should be in there too…its not fair…I'm already 16…I won't even get to see the room before tomorrow…if only I didn't have any little cousins to watch…thankfully most of them are already asleep…but still…
"What do you see?" I looked on, thinking about it. I turned away and in a barely audible whisper I replied.
"Well, the tree is in the corner."
"Whats it like?"
"Its big and green, and it has a bright star on the top that nearly touches the ceiling. It's covered in blinking lights, candy canes, ginger bread men, little Christmas presents…"
"Presents!"
"Yup."
"Under the tree too?"
"You bet, Thousands of them just pouring from under the tree."
"Do you think there's any for me?" I grinned at Kazuki.
"I think there's some for all of us since you all are staying here for the weekend."
"Do you think Santa Claus knows my brothers and cousins and sisters are staying here?
"Mhm. He's probably on his way here now." He began to shake with excitement.
"What else is there in the room. Any more presents? What are the grown ups doing?"His questions seemed to run in one long stream of words. I looked back into the key hole at all of the grownups. Mostly just old aunts, and fat uncles dressed in holiday attire for the Christmas Eve attire, lounging in chairs, full from the big dinner mama had made.
"Peeking in on the grown ups I see." I jumped sky high and fell hard on my bottom, barely missing Kazuki who had jumped back.
"Granny!" I stood up and hugged my dear old fat grandmother. Her hair was tied in a neat bun, and her attire was a simple gown and a few rings. She grinned broadly.
"It's good to see you too dear. And oh, look how my little Kazuki has grown." She patted his head and handed him a small candied sweet. He squeeld and hid, eating it greedily
"What about me, do you have anything for me Granny?"
"Well now, lets see…" She thought about it patiently and I felt my hopes beginning to depleat.
"You do have something for me don't you Granny?"
"Ah. I have just the thing. It's perfect!" She moved her hands and like magic produced a small figurine. She handed it carefully to me and I looked at it with bright eyes.
"Its so pretty." I gazed at the silver and emerald dragon.
Its scales are so detailed…and his eyes are so lifelike…he almost looks alive…I looked at the long sleek silver body, the detailed threads of emerald hair, and sparkling jewel green eyes.
"Thank you Granny." I whispered breathlessly.
"You're quite welcome my dear. Now, if you don't mind, I think I should like to join the other grown ups in the drawing room." I nodded, hardly noticing a thing she said.
"By the way, his name is Haku."
"What?" I looked over my shoulder but she was gone.
"Haku."
But that doesn't quite seem fitting…it's like…it's only half of his name…maybe it is only half of his name…oh no…Granny was probably telling me his name but I wasn't paying attention…I'll have to ask later…
I walked into the living room, and set Haku down on a nearby shelf as I carried nine little sleeping bodies into the beds they would all be staying in for their vacation time here. Once all the sweet (and not so sweet) kids were tucked in, I gathered up all of there toys; stepping on random dolls, green soldiers, stuffed animals, and toy cars; and set them in a spare cardboard box.
I stretched and yawned. Glancing around to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, I took Haku and walked up the stairs, past the room of laughing adults, and into my room.
I set the statue on my bed stand and rolled over, fast asleep.
Bong
Bong
Bong
I shot straight up at the sound of the continued chiming of the clock downstairs. I rolled over to look at my night stand and saw the time.
"Midnight! Ugg. Why can't it be Christmas already?" I rolled over back under the covers.
Scratch
Scratch
Squeak
"What now!"
Isn't the tv supposed to be off…geez…I froze looking over the edge of my bed.
"Rats!" I screamed and scrabbled to the head of my bed, grabbing onto my lamp.
"Actually, we are sewer mice. A very common misconception among humans." I jumped as a single rodent jumped onto my bed.
This…this…it can't be happening…it's not possible…it just can't be happening…A talking…crown wearing…mouse is standing on my bed…And he's three freaking feet tall…and he smells…and…he's huge…and has sharp teeth…and… oh dear…what should I do…
I did the only thing I could.
I screamed.
And the mouse in front of me laughed.
"They're all asleep, too busy dancing with the sugar plums in their heads. There's no one to hear you."
"What do you want with me?"! I scooted back as far as I could as he stepped forwards.
"What do I want? I want that statue of yours you call Haku. Now give it here, and I'll be on my way." He said arrogantly.
I looked at the statue clutched tightly in my hands, and stared into his eyes.
He looks so helples...wait...what am I talking about...he's just a statue...but...then what couldthat ratpossibly want with the present Granny got me…I can't…I won't give it to him…he'll just have to leave…
"No." I quickly snatched the figurine into my hands.
It…it's…he's…warm…Out of sheer surprise, he tumbled down and hit my soft pillow. I bent down to grab him back up, but the rat was much quicker.
"Now, without further ado, I bid you good night human." He jumped down into the mob of mice on the floor.
"No! You can't have him!" I screamed. Kicking and swinging my lamp, I found the crowned mouse, but something shot at my lamp, breaking it.
"He he. So, you want to fight. Very well then. Fight me." He turned and faced me.
Oh no…He set down my figurine
What am I going to do…He crouched down like a cat ready to pounce
I don't know what to do…And jumped at my face. I quickly blocked, ready for the sharp bite into the skin of my arm, but when it never came I looked at the turmoil that had just unfolded.
"You're…you…you're…really…real?" I looked at the long graceful dragon that was as long as my bed. His hair waved like it was in a watery tide, his scaled shined as if the moon favored seeing herself's reflection in them. His claws were sharp and he held himself most majestically. What was most extroirdinary was his emerald eyes which shone a light of their own.
"Leave the girl alone!"
"Ah, so now, does the Prince Haku fancy this little human then? Shame, you were doing so well. But then…oh but that was so long ago. Why bring it up now?" The mouse stood on his hind legs, eyeing Haku, then his grin faded.
"Mice, attack!" He yelled.
"No!" I saw them dive at him, clawing, biting, and spitting, like wild animals.
Oh no…this is all my fault…if only I hadn't dropped him…now what can I do…I grabbed my big pillow, the only weapon available since my lamp had already been broken to shards.
There are so many…who do I hit…With haste, I made my way over to the empty space in the room where the crowned mouse stood.
"Make them stop right now!" I screamed even louder than before. He grinned, his eyes lit up with arrogance and enjoyment.
"Or else what? You'll hit me with a pillow?"
"That's it!" I swung the pillow as hard as I could, and threw the mouse into the wall. The other mice stopped attacking and looked at their leader slumped onto the floor.
"Retreat!" They all screamed and grabbing the crowned mouse, they disappeared and left with no trace of them ever being there.
"Oh no! I ran over to the dragon on the floor. Scales were missing and pools of blood were forming onto the floor boards. I stood up, tearing my bed sheets off and ripping them into strips.
"Why?" He growled out, probably meaner than he had intended.
"Why what?"
"Why didn't you just hand me over?" I stopped.
Why didn't I…he seemed like a plain statue…and he held no real sentimental value…but his eyes…when I looked into them earlier…they seemed…I don't know…to hold something more…
"You know, I really don't know. I just figured there must be something pretty special about you." I gave him a small smile. I wrapped the bandages on him as best as I possibly could. He didn't even flinch.
"My Granny said that your name was Haku." I said trying to make conversation. He didn't reply.
"My name is Chihiro."
"You should be safe. I don't think He'll attack a second time in one night."
"Why do you think that? Who is this rat? Why is he after you?"
"Your Granny's name, what is it?" I stopped and looked at him.
That's a strange thing to say…"Zeniiba, I think. Hey! You're getting off the subject! That's not fair! I have the right to know these things."
"Zeniiba. That explains a lot." He said to himself.
"No it doesn't! Aren't you going to answer my questions?" He moved so that he was looking into my eyes. I sat frozen, un able to look away from those depthless Emerald pools.
It's like…looking into…an ocean…no…they're too green…a river…a river fits…It's like looking into a river…but his eyes…they're…so cold…I wonder what could have happened…to make them like that…
"Chihiro. Treasure your name above all things. Guard it with your life." I blinked and he slowly fell back onto the floor.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I have no real name. It was stolen."
"Stolen, how does a persons name get stolen?"
"It was stolen by a witch named Yubaaba. She controls the Mouse King. He is her minion."
"But how did she steal your name?" He looked about to talk, but then he froze.
Bong
The clock struck one and I stared in amazement.
"He just…turned back."
It…that was…amazing…but I never got an answer from him…"My PJ's! How am I going to explain this to my parents?" I stood up, taking the silver statue and placing him onto my nightstand. Taking off my PJ's, I wiped up the rest of the bloody mess and put on a loose shirt and shorts.
"I guess I'll just have to worry about that in the morning." Yawning, I slipped under the covers.
"Good night Haku. Don't think that you can get away without answering a few more questions though." I felt my consciousness slowly fall away into sweet dreams of the night.
Authors Ending Notes: I guess most of you might have found the common similarities of my story to another…the Nutcracker, which is, my all time favorite story. I fell in love with it when I was but a wee child and it just carried over, so yah. I decided to play off the idea of crossing the two. I hope you enjoy!