Whoopsies. Sorry if I haven't been updating, guys. I've been totally bored/lazy... but mostly...lazy. XD Wowzah... it's less than a week until Christmas. Boy am I excited!!♥ x3
Anyways... this took me all last night and a little bit of time when I just got on to do this. Forgive me if there's any mistakes because I slept real late and the movers came in today to take most of our stuff into our new house. They were noisy so I woke real cranky at seven in the morning. I might take a nap since I only had four or five hours of sleeeep. ._.
Hmmmm...so...slightly small battle scene. This is the last actiony battley thing for this story (sadly XD) since this is a Christmas story after all. o.o
Weeell...better get started on reading eight pages, folks. -dance- x33
Looking Above and Beyond
By: ADJLFanatic
Chapter 11: A Sense of Realization
“Come on, Sher.” Tinker said as she watched the distressed elf turn her back solemnly. “How bad can your ‘secret’ be? We don’t even know
what it is.”
“That’s the thing.” Sherlyn pointed out with a sigh. “You guys don’t know what my case is nor do you know how bad it is.”
Kimper was almost close to giving up. “But come on… can’t you trust us?”
“I… can… but…” She paused. “I guess I’ll just say it.” The twins came over a little closer so they could hear it a little better. “You know that… Dark guy?”
“Yeah.” Kimper replied. “He was
creepy.”
“What about it?” Tinker seemed to have asked.
“Well… I actually kind of helped him.” Sher replied. The two gasped but she spoke again before the two could make any astonishing remark. “But it was for a reason, guys. See, we actually met up one day while I was at the Candy Cane forest. I was just minding my own business…then he just comes up to me. And for some reason, he totally knew who I was. I knew I still couldn’t trust him… but he knew real well how to break my heart.”
“And how is that?” asked Tinker.
Sher fidgeted with her fingers a little. “Taking away all of my friends and everybody who lived in here.”
“Aww…you really meant that?”
“Well, of course. I’d rather help him out than have you guys and everyone gone forever.”
“I see.”
Sherlyn put her hands together. “I just couldn’t help but think that everybody would hate me if they found out.”
“Sher… you sacrificed all of our lives. Why would anybody hate you for what you did?”
“I don’t know. I guess I just felt a little negative…”
“Well, don’t…because what you did was, honestly, kind of you.”
“Thanks…” She thought for a moment. “Gee… do you think Jake and those other people are alright?”
“Erh…we don’t know…but I wonder too.” Kimper scratched her head.
“But, gosh, I wish I could help them out.”
“Well, we can help fix up Santa’s Workshop.”
“Uh… and how’s that going to help, exactly?”
“It actually is going to be helpful. If you look at it, they might actually beat him…and if they do, then they’ll have more work to do back in the workshop with Santa and the other worker elves. So if we help out there, then it’ll less for them to do. You know what I’m saying?”
“…Yeah…I guess that could work!”
“Well let’s go then.”
The three pals made their way to Santa’s Workshop after that last comment.
OoOoOoOoOoO
Florence turned around to watch somebody who just got flung halfway across the room. She fearfully kept her eyes on him.
“… Flo. I’m okay.” Shade remarked quickly after doing a flip that he didn’t even know he could do. He was looking over at her worried eyes and came up to give her a hug. “You don’t have to worry.”
“Phew.” She said after the two had let go. “That’s good, then!”
The two then continued on with the battle that was going on.
Leah shot a beam of pink that caused the enemy to flinch a little while Madisen helped out some more with her magic. Cat and Jake stood back-to-back and they had teamed up so well together that they combined their powers with a sort of whirlwind that also caused Dark to stop what he was trying to do. A portion of the ceiling and wall started to crumble and it broke. Ash had a chance to add on to the scene, so she and Al did the same ‘team-up’ Jake and Cat did by using their alchemy. Some of the balls of ice that Kevin had tried to adjoin to the prospect afterwards had caused a few of them to fling across the room, though.
“Watch out!” Amanda and Kevin concurringly called out to Florence.
Flo was about to make a barrel roll to dodge and she was suddenly stopped for some reason. Shade had turned around swiftly and formed a barrier to prevent the attack from hitting Florence. After it had disappeared, she promptly thanked him (well, with a really quick hug) then they both continued on as they got themselves ready in their battle stances as everybody added on to try and take the opponent down.
Ash, in her dragon form, skillfully soared through the air and made a rapid flip that made it look like she were a ball spinning around in the atmosphere. She tried to confuse him and added on to the desired task with a bit of alchemy. Al had continuously asked her if she needed help or if she was in trouble—Ash answered no to both everytime he asked every few minutes.
“Come on, Ash! I can help!” He exclaimed from below.
“Al,” She turned around, “I’m okay!!” While she had seemed to be a little distracted, Dark had grabbed Ash in the leg and she was somehow reverted back to human form.
“I told you!” He said.
“The only reason why I’m here is because…” She stopped. “Oh forget it.”
While Ash was hanging upside down and being grasped by one leg, Shade flew up in the air and attempted to shoot a swift whip of water then a an extremely small explosion of ice that shot out just to his preferred target.
“Hey! Watch it, Shade!” She called out, barely dodging a few attacks that he had just done.
“Sorry!” He shouted back, landing on the ground. “Didn’t mean to!”
Ash just rolled her eyes and kept on trying to hit in order to make her way out. You know the old ‘slip through someone’s fingers’ saying? Well… it was kind of like that.
“Let me go!!” She shouted, trying to hit some more… Ash even tried alchemy and her fire breath. After a few more tries, she was dropped and Al had somehow caught her while she had fallen to the ground.
“Nice catch.” She remarked, still in his arms.
“I try…” He shrugged putting her down. Ash got to her feet after being put to the ground and looked up.
“Riiiight…” Kay muttered under her breath as Dreamcatcher flew in a circular motion. She, apparently, was helping out greatly too.
“What are you trying to do? Getting me to do my alchemy again?” Ash said going back to dragon form, using it to try and defeat him. Everybody seemed to have stood back when she was grabbed again and was regressed back to human, once again. “…I’m guessing that was a yes.” She remembered her previous unanswered question. “But seriously, what’s up with me and the alchemy? It’s not that special! …Okay, maybe it is…but…BAH. My point is—”
“According to my research it is.” Dark had replied while she was still held ‘captive’. This time, though, she wasn’t hung upside down like last time. Ash was squeezed tight from her entire body… except her head was the only thing sticking out (and a little bit of her feet). That was how big the shadow was. “I’ve heard through books and other people that alchemy helps relive one’s soul and body from the dead.”
“So?” She said, flipping her hair back. “Someone you miss?”
“Actually, I’m wanting to use it for myself…”
“Erh???”
“I’m a shadow-spirit from the dead? Didn’t you notice?”
“… AHHH! It’s a GHOST!” Al exclaimed, running around.
Shade had grown a little infuriated by his instant trepidation and slapped him in the backside of his head. “Will you PLEASE be QUIET?”
“Fine, fine.” He mumbled stubbornly. All of a sudden, energy had pushed everyone back so that no one could get away, but Al…who was still totally dumbfounded.
Ash rolled her eyes, whispering a ‘thank gosh’ under her breath, as she continued facing him. “So you’re saying that you’d like ME to use MY alchemy for YOUR needs? I do NOT think so.”
“Would you want someone dear taken away from you?”
“I’d like to see you try and get a knuckle sandwich that I’m about to give you out of your face!” She was able to break free both of her arms and threateningly held her fist in front of his face.
Al, who JUST started running, was suddenly grabbed from below and couldn’t break himself free. An orb was formed then it was exploited with a force of energy that blocked his powers so that he was unable to get away. He was floating airborne while everybody (and mostly Ash) started to look over upsettingly.
“Al!” Ash called out troublingly then turning back to the villainous rival. “You freak! It’s like you act like you have no emotions yet you know perfectly…well…how to break somebody’s heart.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to point out!” Cat shouted abruptly.
“… You never said anything.” Jake said.
“Oh shut up! Don’t get smart with me!”
“Psh, look who’s talking.”
“What was THAT?”
Al was obdurately trying to escape while he knew perfectly well that he was trapped there unless somebody broke the force from the outside—it was just his lack of common sense that made him do it. “Let me out! Let me out! I’m claustrophobic, you know!”
“He’s claustrophobia, YOU KNOW!” Ash added with a somewhat serious shout.
“Not until your girlfriend decides to use her alchemy.”
“I never will, you insensitive dork!”
“Well let’s see how this will change your mind, then.”
All of a sudden, a shock had stunned Al. The thunderous power had shocked Al a few more times while everyone heard him shriek. A few people, bravely, tried to do something about it but couldn’t do anything either, even if they could use their powers (while they were all trapped, that is). Ash’s eyes filled to the brim with tears, clenching her fists.
“You MONSTER!!” She could feel herself cry almost hysterically. “You freaking wouldn’t!!”
“I would…now use your alchemy, little girl.”
“I. AM. NOT. LITTLE!!!” Ash screamed loudly. It was probably a little too deafening that it almost (seemingly) shattered the eardrums of certain people. With the anger that built up, she easily broke free from his clutches and converted to her dragon form. Everyone’s eyes filled with amazement as she started using all of her might to defeat him.
Shade closely studied the force that surrounded Al. He thought for a moment while Florence watched him looking over it curiously and making mental notes.
“What is it?” She asked after a few minutes.
“I’m assuming that if I can construct an ice explosion a lot superior than the previous one I did formerly, I could perhaps break the spherical dynamism that’s formed entirely through his being.”
“Maybe if we stop this guy, we’ll go to the North Pole and I should ask Santa for a dictionary!! So I can understand of any those words you just SAID!” Al called out from afar, who was obviously ‘eavesdropping’ in his own way.
(
A/N: If you know perfectly well which Nick show that I got that from, then tell me and I’ll give you a Kissmoose kewkie. Yay.)
“Oy…” Shade rolled his eyes and shook his head, mumbling to himself. “I guess some inauspicious people weren’t instinctive with the logic gene.”
“What was that???”
“Uhh…nothing!”
Florence titled her head slightly. “Anywaay…you up to it, Shade?”
“It’s one of the only things I can do.” He cringed after hearing another strident shout from Ash. “I’d rather do that than listen to anymore of Ash’s screaming…”
“I think I would too…”
With certain specific simple movements with his hands, the ground started shaking. While everybody else was confused, Shade (along with Florence) broke free of the force that surrounded him. Soon after, everyone started realizing that the same thing was happening to the group.
Al noticed too and fell to the ground. “I’m okay!” He called out, even if nobody seemed to notice.
Ash stopped what she was doing, flew over to where everyone else (running past Al to help him up), and soon ice shot out everywhere. Shade signaled everybody to get behind him as he formed the same barrier of ice that he constructed before. The mildly violent blast had soon ended afterwards and Shade got tired from using too much of his powers, reverting back to human while the obstruction had faded.
“You okay?” Florence asked with concern.
Shade nodded instantly. “A-okay!”
“Hmm…Mmkay!” She grinned as she helped him up.
“Al!” Ash said running over and giving him a hug. “I’m SO glad you’re okay!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa…too clingy there.” Al said, gently pushing her away so that they pulled apart.
“Welcome to MY world.” She rolled her eyes, hugging him again real tightly.
All the while that hugging and a bit of celebrating seemed a little good right now, the group had come to realize that there was still something that needed to be solved—Dark was defeated but not completely down.
Ash growled angrily, forming a bit of alchemy in her hands but she was then stopped by a “No, wait!” and she had calmed down a bit afterwards. “Why should I do that?”
Everybody came up to the helpless shadow that had shrunken probably more than five times its size.
“Because…all I wanted was…something.”
“And what would THAT be? World destruction?”
“No…a heart…and emotions…to match it.”
Everyone, but a certain few, had paused and took glances at each other.
OoOoOoOoOoO
“Hey, things are going pretty great!” Sher said cheerfully after she and the twins had helped out three other worker elves fix a machine that made dolls that were especially for little girls. “But I don’t understand how the other machines still work…like, you know…video games and those complex, new items that all the kids want. They’re like perfectly fine.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty awkward.” Tinker said as a small crowd of worker elves had started to get up from where they had sat down and got to work with helping with a little of the shipping. “But hey, at least we didn’t have super intricate machines to fix up, right?”
“True…” She replied with a positive grin. “I still can’t help but wonder, though, he never did tell me.”
“Gee…I hope Jake and the others really ARE okay.” Kimper said, helping out with the hand-wrapping part. Sher and Tinker came over and helped out with two other readied presents. “They’ve been gone for quite some time.”
OoOoOoOoOoO
“So, all of the research stuff in the lab here…were all for you?” Cat asked, picking up ruined pieces of paper that were destroyed by the explosion. The surrounding area and wall didn’t look too good either. There were shattered pieces of glass, ripped-up bits of paper, and giant boards torn in half as well.
“Exactly. My body and soul were both brought to the ‘afterlife’ as you speak. Now, all I am is a spirit that roams the earth.”
“Reminds me of…Shade…like, from the spirit world, or something.” Florence recoiled, remembering before.
“Uhhhh…” Shade grinned sheepishly.
“Anyway…I’ve been closely watching every movement that the regular, everyday human does. I was completely fascinated by the people in DISOM—so I went there all the time. When I died, I had completely forgotten what it was like to be a real person…so I took notes about the ‘heart’ and ‘emotions’. I learned that there are many twists to it. I always thought I needed more rage…more…hearts…you know?”
“But don’t you see,” Shade said. “A normal person’s emotions are not just about the human heart itself…or the fury and wrath that forms within it. Though there is darkness that erodes every heart, there a mix of feelings that combines along with it. We all have different emotions that all use in a particular way—sometimes less or more than others.”
“Yeah…” Jake added. “I’ve seen these very complicated notes you’ve taken. I understand some of them…like how love is one of the biggest significances to some of life’s paths and one of the most…what was that word again? Oh yeah…intricate. Anyway, it said something about it being one of those…‘intricate’ things to understand. There are a lot of things into it, basically.”
“I guess I never fully understood the true meaning behind this…” Dark had muttered. “After taking these gifts,” he held up a few beautifully wrapped boxes, “I thought that the importance of Christmas means the presents.”
“See, some people don’t understand that either.” Leah said.
“Yeah… Christmas isn’t all about the presents.” Amanda included.
“But what it truly means is, not what’s inside it or how it’s wrapped, but the act of giving is how it truly is important… since, after all, they always said that it’s better to grant offerings to others before you ever think of yourself.” Florence added, holding up one of the gifts that were in the floor.
She opened the slightly ruined wrapping paper and pulled out a chocolate brown teddy bear, holding it out for him and everybody to see. “See, toys and prized possessions aren’t exactly what make the holidays a very good thing. Sure we might’ve thought that when we’re all toddlers and kids, but we’re not anymore. So when we grow up, we come to appreciate that the performance of generosity is what makes Christmas such an important, meaningful holiday.”
“Exactly.” Shade and the others started adding in.
“What does that mean?” Al said randomly.
“Again, I never ever stopped to think about that.” The enemy had replied. “But now, I think I’ve come to realize that…maybe I wasn’t even meant to be around here.”
“Don’t say that,” Amanda said. “We might not even know how hard it is to be a non-existing immortal that meanders around the world. It’s just that—you know—some things are just hard to understand.”
“Give me that teddy bear!” Ash called out, pulling on the right side of the same bear.
“I said it’s mine! I found it first, Ashy!” Florence exclaimed, pulling on the other.
“Oh no! You did NOT just call me ASHY!”
“Oh yes I did! What are you gonna do about it, you alchemic sap?”
“I’ll bite your head off and put a knuckle sandwich in it, you ninja she-witch!”
The two had been childishly fought over the chocolate brown teddy bear with eyes and a figure that you just couldn’t resist. In other words, most girls might find it really TOO cute.
“Mine!”
“No mine!”
Shade and Al stepped it, pulling their own girlfriends back—away from each other.
“Gosh, we’re going back to Santa’s Workshop…”
“Yeah…calm down; there's a lot more of those teddy bears there…or…whatever you guys were fighting over.”
Ash felt a mental ding go off in her head. “There is?”
“Yaaay!” Florence shouted optimistically.
“That, I can not understand either.” Amanda muttered.
“So, are you sure you’ll be…alright?” Jake asked, knowing that these would be one of the final words to share with him.
“Of course…Even if merely just fading away is just a ridiculous thing, it was something that would really happen eventually.”
Everyone, but a few of the guys, stepped back and saw the shadow turn into smudgy smoke then float away where the wind was going.
“Wow…that was awkward.” Kevin remarked.
“Hey, want to go home?” Kay asked everybody. She had forgotten to go back to human and did so just now.
“Wait…” Shade said. “We still have to go to Santa’s Workshop! They still need our help!”
“Right!” She said. “To the North Pole!” Kay was about to take off, running.
“Ummm… Kay?” Florence said, holding a handful of some sort of powder. “There’s an easier way we could get there.”
“… I knew that!” Kay tried to hide her mistake. “I was just…thinking we could get some exercise! Yeah!”
“Riiiight…” Shade declared. “Now let’s go! We don’t want everyone to worry.”
OoOoOoOoOoO
“Hey! I think I see them!” Sherlyn said, stopping what she was doing and running out to the front of the building. “Shade! Florence! Jake! …Uh… OTHER PEOPLE!”
“Hiya.” Shade greeted on behalf of everyone. “So…how have things been holding up there?”
“Everything’s getting real peachy!” She grinned with a reply. “Most of the machines started working and the town is starting to fill with happy people once again!”
“That’s great!” He said. Everyone turned and nodded with such immense merriment.
“But there’s still one problem.” Sher said before anybody could say any more.
“Oh?” Florence said. “What’s up?”
“Come with me…” She said, signaling everyone that it was perfectly fine to go inside. Everyone did so and they were leaded through the center of the shop.
OoOoOoOoOoO
“See this thing?” Sher pointed up at a very tall meter that rose from the ground to the roof.
“Uhh…it’s the…Christmas Spirit gauge?” Shade read the words that were labeled on the very top of the indicator.
“Exactly.” She said. “As you can see, the gauge is not fully filled up—not even halfway. Sadly, we don’t know any way to fix it.”
“What’s the deal with the ‘Christmas Spirit’ thing anyway?” Jake asked.
“Good question.” Sher nodded. “As you can see, it’s almost self-explanatory. When there’s hope and faith that there’ll be a really good holiday season on a month of December, then Christmas is bound to go on! But when it’s not…” She looked up at it. “It’ll cause the yearly celebration to come crashing down—almost literally. Even with everything sorted out, the most vital thing that needs to be brought up is the spirit and optimism of others.”
“Wow…” Shade said. “Boy, we got to figure out something then.”
“You got that right.” She said. “We’ve worked all this way to restore this and defeat the bad guy…now all we need to do is bring up the anticipations and wishes of everybody.”
End Chapter Eleven
Whee. It might've been eight (almost nine) pages but it seemed a little short, I know. XD I tried to make long paragraphs, but...I failed. x.x
Anyways...I want to get at least the last chapter done before Sunday/Monday (out somewhere for Christmas ^^) so I'll see what I can do. x3
Mewwy eawly Chwistmas evewyone!!♥ -enough baby talk- XDD
ADJLFanatic
P.S. I like the fair!! -gets shot-