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"I desire turkey, Grundo," the guest snarled in a low, deep
tone at Sillymufin.
The purple Grundo puffed out his cheeks pouting
slightly, but handed over the platter. The guest took the platter and set it
down in front of himself. He cut off both legs of the Grakle-stuffed Turkey
and plopped them onto his plate. There was an uncomfortable silence.
After a moment Meggiemufin coughed, and nervously
asked the green-faced stranger, "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Everything is under control," he replied crisply.
"How's the stuffing?"
"The Grakle Bugs are perfect!" said Koot happily.
"YUMMY," squealed Silly.
"Good," stated Evil flatly.
"And you?" said Meggiemufin, turning to the
visitor, a concerned look on her face.
He didn't look at her, so Meggiemufin nudged
his arm. "What can I call you anyway? I don't want to keep calling you 'hey'
or something."
The guest looked at her oddly.
"Frank."
Koot's eye twitched.
"Evil..." she whimpered, casting a slightly
panicked look at her Darigan Krawk brother.
"Well Frank, is everything alright?" Meggiemufin
said, tilting her head.
"The food is adequate," replied Frank.
"Good! But Frank, if you don't mind me asking,
why were you outside... I mean, you do have family? It is Christmas..."
Meggiemufin said gently, slowly chewing a bite of pie.
Frank set down his fork, and looked at Meggiemufin.
"I was outside searching for a runaway minion."
"Onion?" said Meggiemufin, swallowing abruptly.
"Hmmm," replied Frank.
"Mom..." said Evil, but Meggie shook her head
to silence him.
Meggie didn't like to impose on people by asking
a lot of questions. And Evil didn't know how to voice his doubts in front of
their guest without looking like he was being deliberately rude. The Krawk wished
he could convince his mother that now was not a good time to be her usual fountain
of unquestioning hospitality.
Not much was said the rest of the meal, which
was only about ten minutes. Koot and Silly helped clear the table while Meggiemufin
washed the dishes. Evil stayed at the table, refusing to budge an inch as he
watched the stranger return to the warmth of the fireplace.
Silly waddled over to the towering figure, and
tugged on his sleeve.
"Fwank?"
The stranger snorted and glared down at him.
"Grundo."
"Want plays car?" asked Silly, holding up a
red toy car.
Frank looked at Silly in disgust. "I do not
play with Grundos!" he growled with irritation.
However, Silly seemed unfazed by his expression.
"Mkkkay... me pretend be something else!" Silly
chirped. "Me... a... GRARRL!"
Silly roared for effect, and handed him the
car. Frank's brow furrowed as he looked at the car. Meggiemufin stepped into
the room, drying her hands on a dishtowel. She looked at everyone's serious
faces and frowned. Then she snapped her fingers. Frank quickly set down the
car.
"Everyone looks so solemn tonight... I have
an idea! Why don't we all open presents!" Meggie said, flashing a huge smile
to everyone.
They had a special tradition at the Mufin house.
On Christmas Eve, they would open one present, then open the rest on Christmas
Day. The stranger eyed Meggiemufin curiously as she ushered him to a chair,
but he seemed more cooperative now than before.
"C'mon now Frank, sit down!" she said, laughing.
The kids gave each other odd looks as they sat
on the floor.
"Here Evil, you first!" said Meggie, handing
the Krawk a long, thin package that was colored like Evilmufin's dark purple
and black scales. He easily tore the paper with his claws.
"An Ancient Scimitar! Awesome!" said Evil, jumping
up and swirling the sword around his head.
Koot ducked and squealed. The green-faced stranger's
eyes bulged in alarm for a moment and he half-rose from his chair. His hand
darted inside his cloak as if he were reaching for something hidden there that
he suddenly wanted. The Darigan Krawk twirled with his sword towards the opposite
side of the room. As he did, Frank uneasily lowered himself back down into the
chair, withdrawing his hand from his cloak.
Meggiemufin chuckled to herself, pulled out
a present in green wrapping with lots of bows, and handed it to Koot's awaiting
paws. Koot tore it apart, revealing a Usuki Singing Star Besukae.
"BESUKAE! I GOT BESUKAE!" The Kyrii yelled happily,
running around the room, with the package containing the blonde Usuki in her
hand.
Meggiemufin let out a joyful laugh, and extended
a purple-wrapped gift with small orange spots to her other "son". Silly eagerly
accepted. He had some difficulty with the tape, but he managed to get the box
open. Frank cast nervous glances between the coat room and the clock, tapping
his foot impatiently. As Silly unwrapped his gift, Meggiemufin took a plain-wrapped
present out from under the tree. She drew a line through "To Donna" and scrawled
underneath, "To Frank".
"A purpool skateplank!" squealed Silly, pulling
out his purple skateboard. "WHEEEEEE!"
"Not in the house..." Meggiemufin said, as Silly
hugged his toy. "Here Frank, there's one for you too!"
The stranger stared at Meggie with a look of
puzzlement on his face. He took it somewhat roughly, and opened the gray box.
"COOL! He got a Sloth Faerie Doll!" yelled Koot.
Frank looked at the doll, then closed his eyes.
"Umm... yes..." he said sourly.
He stuffed the doll into his pocket and cleared
his throat.
"Say fanks-soo...." Silly whispered, tugging
on the stranger's sleeve.
"Thanks," Frank said stiffly.
"You're very welcome!" Meggiemufin gushed, with
a pleased look on her face.
Frank nodded, then looked at the clock.
"I must go now. I've got someone to be punis--
err... someone to get a present for... so I will be leaving," Frank announced
grimly.
"So soon?" Meggie asked with concern.
A strange, dark look appeared in his glowing
red eyes. He glanced at the Mufins and cleared his throat. Then he rose and
headed towards the coat room without replying. Meggiemufin followed him and
reached the hooks before he did. She handed him his overcoat and scarf, and
Frank grabbed them quickly from her hands. He then headed towards the door.
"Wait, Frank! You forgot something!" Meggiemufin
said, stopping him in the doorway.
"What?" he said in exasperation.
Meggie stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss
on the cheek. The green-skinned visitor gave Meggiemufin a look like she was
completely insane. Meggie saw the look in his eyes and blushed. She pointed
up to the doorframe, at a small green plant.
Meggie smiled sweetly and said, "Mistletoe."
Frank shuddered slightly but a strange, almost
eerie smirk broke across his lips. Suddenly, there were two faint taps on the
door. Frank opened the door and leaned his head out. Another dark shape, shadowed
by the snow swirling all around, stood there, shivering in the cold. Frank lowered
his voice and they talked for a few moments. Evil and Koot could only pick up
a few words, but they didn't like the ones they did manage to hear.
"...And when the time comes, imprison and torture
the creatures in THIS house first..."
Then Frank stepped outside, and the door closed.
Evil shook his head, not believing his mother had remembered the mistletoe.
"That was a tall guy..." said Meggiemufin, putting
a finger to her lips. "And very strange. I have a feeling he was... homeless."
She whispered the last word even though their
guest had gone.
"I'm glad we gave him somewhere for a little
while at least. No one should be alone on Christmas."
Evil raised an eyebrow and shook his head in
disbelief.
"Sure. Whatever."
Koot made a nodding motion her head, letting
her green hair hit her face.
"Yeah, it was kinda... weird..."
The Kyrii stroked her Usuki's hair and sat down
on the tiger couch. Evil followed Koot onto the couch, admiring his new sword.
Meggie picked up some wrapping paper and went into the kitchen to throw it away.
Silly, however, set down his skateboard walked into the coat room. He bent down
and picked up a thick piece of black woolen thread.
"Merry Cwristmas, Dr. Sloth," whispered the
purple Grundo.
THE END
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