970/Misers of Ice and Fire!

Misers of Ice and Fire!
Date of Scene:	05 January 2024
Location:	Plot Room 1
Synopsis:	Backdated to Christmas Eve!: Two arguing brothers make a roadblock for the crew on their way to save Santa. They're too much.
Cast of Characters:	Nanoha Takamachi, Kureha Senkenzan, Erika Shimizu, Hotaru Tomoe, Veronica Perenna, Amanda Faust, Laisa Samuiko

---

Nanoha Takamachi has posed:
Not that long ago, the heroes took off on Santa's actual sleigh with Mrs. Claus and started off. Mrs. Claus would try to answer questions along the way but soon they came across the absolute mess blocking the way to the North Pole. First it was snowing...then it was summer...? THEN WINTER. THEN SUMMER and it was a windy, snowy slushy mess in the air and Mrs. Claus had to make an emergency landing into a mountainous valley, wherein there was a cave.

"This is the place." says Mrs. Claus.

"The Miser Brothers are fighting, again, and it's causing this mess blocking off the route to the North Pole. Usually, they stop fighting for Santa but this year seems different..." she says.

Indeed, a massive, crystal cavern leads to a big table, where in small, blue minions and orange minions are bickering. Tiny Imp like creatures, the blue ones lanky, and the red ones more rotund.

They are babbling incomprehensibly about the weather. It's hard to follow any one discussion!

Nanoha Takamachi follows along with wide eyes and eyes the strange crystal cavern, as she looks up to an annoyed Mrs. Claus who's slowly losing her temper.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    The Youkai Musume of Flames has spent the entire ride in silence, looking out over the landscape and watching the view. The wind whipping her hair, she's more or less looking calm and contemplative, not really engaging socially... although she is, noticeably, radiating a gentle warmth for anyone who might need more beyond the magical jackets Mrs. Claus has given. But as the landscape changes, she begins to look less 'contemplative', more 'quietly baffled'. Once they make the emergency landing and Kureha steps off, she actually steps away from the cave for a moment - and begins putting out additional heat, trying to shield the rest of the group from the sleet-y storm before she heads in.

    Hastily, the oni moves to the front of the pack, placing herself where her brute strength and durability are of the most use. When they arrive at the crystal cavern, she is, just for a moment, quietly awestruck... but this is definitely not the time for awe. The Ogre Princess forces herself to focus, and claps her hands together twice. Clap, clap.

    Given her strength, they're probably very loud claps.

    "Good evening, all of you. My name is Onihime. My allies and I have come on behalf of the North Pole. We wish to speak with your leaders, if you would be so kind."

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    So huh. Santa's in trouble. A one certain pirate chuuni by the name of ERIKA SHIMIZU had arried late, hopped aboard the sleigh at the last second, and almost got her late butt left behind for this! But she's here, and had been riding in the back of the sleigh acting... Actually kind of sullen.
    Heck, for anyone who knows the bubbly and effervescent young blonde, she's far more churlish, dour, and gloomy than her usual shanty-singing self. She is at leased DRESSED for the occasion, her normally sea-blue and green naval greatcoat of Jolly Roger's henshin is actually a vivid bright red and trimmed in white fur, which is at least a little more seasonal and a little more warm, but she's been in the back of the sleigh with her hat tugged down over her eyes emitting a surly sigh every now and again. At least until the sleigh lands and the group is led into the cave that leads to the North Pole by helpful Mrs. Claus.
    The dread pirate mahoushoujo disembarks the sleigh and follows the others into the cave with a heavy hearted sigh, nudging her hat off her head.
    "We there yet?" No. No she learns, this is just the path to where they're headed, and she promptly makes a surly noise as the minions babble and blather.
    Sigh.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly was... was definitely being helpful. Helpful in this case meant... She'd fallen asleep in the sleigh and would catch up later. She was curled up in one of the corners, her glaive hugged to her chest at an awkward angle, a little sleep bubble coming out from her mouth. Zzzzzz...

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Despite everything magic endowes them with, the change in the weather was a huge pain, and so they have nothing to do but keep their cool (pun not intended) when Mrs. Claus is driving them through all these odd meteorological changes. Veronica spends her time keeping up a barrier when they pass through the snowy bits, just to avoid being drenched when the summer temperature would melt any snow still on her.

Not the most opportune use of one of her relics, but she doesn't want the water to weigh down on her later. Curious phenomena aside, she would like to get acquainted with these beings that are in charge of manipulating the weather. You never know if something useful would turn up. And her wish is soon going to be granted because Mrs. Claus lands the sleigh on a mountain valley, and leads them into a cave.

"So basically this is a diplomacy mission", Veronica nods as their chaperone gives her explanation. "We will try our best. Fiery Onihime over there has already talked some sense into a band of Youkai, and with me and the others, this won't take long, I am sure", she comments with strong confidence.

She does a bow towards the quarreling figures that await them in the cavern, her hat tumbling down into her waiting hand as a bit of an amusing trick before she places it back on her head and addresses the two brothers. "Hello, we are friends from afar. What has you fair folks in such a bind? We would love to lend our assistance", she speaks with polished ostentatiousness.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Riding in Santa's sleigh is an experience! Amy looks out at the world flying below them with childlike wonder. And also scientific curiousity. She can't help glancing at her phone to see if time is advancing normally... wait, that's local until it resyncs, isn't it? Hmm. She doesn't remember. She also takes a little video, just to see what happens to videos of magic experiences. How is Erika not excited? She offers Jolly Roger hugs and reminds her they have thermoses of really good hot chocolate available!

    And then the weather gets all weird. Mrs. Claus says the Miser brothers are fighting. "Oh right, you mentioned them before. Who are they...?"

    She disembarks and follows to the... meeting place? "Could this be Toymajin's doing as well? If they're trying to stop Christmas... then making the Miser brothers fight through Christmas to get in Santa's away in case taking the North Pole failed would make sense..."

    She snaps a picture of the cavern.

    Others begin introductions. "We are Magical Girls..." she rubs the back of her head, "I guess you can call me Rocket Girl, or Red? What seems to be the problem here? One of you answer at a time, please."

    She's not actually holding her weapon, but the slight sci-fi-ish-ness of her costume lends a different interpretation to 'Rocket Girl' which she will not correct unless needed.

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    Mou Fubuki was fairly quiet during the trip over, seemingly unfazed by the weather even as they approached the actual North Pole. She might have been a little uncomfortable to sit next to though, being as chilly as she is.

    As they get closer to their destination and the weather suddenly changes, she finds herself growing more concerned. As she hears the explanation, and eventually finds the two sibling culprits themselves, she gets even more confused.

    "I... wow. So... do they always fight like this? I mean, you almost make it sounds like a regular thing."

Nanoha Takamachi has posed:
Mrs. Claus merely answers Amy with a simple. "They are giant hams. Is what they are." she says, rolling her eyes at the thought. She answers Mou Fubuki with a simple. "Yes. They are always fighting."

When people bust in and start to demand to speak to the leaders, the ones in charge..."

"They wanna speak to the bosses!" says one of the minions. "THE BOSSES!?" says the minions. "Mrs. Claus is here, I thought there was a mess up in the North Pole...!?"

Two minions, one for each slide into ide doors on either side of the table....

"Yeah, you can speak to the bosses." says one of the blue minions.

"Here they come...!" says one of the orange ones!...

Nanoha Takamachi has posed:
Heat Miser, a bulbous man with a fire red mane of hair appears in a flash of fire and light, and he points to his minions that look like a smaller version of him. "Allow me to introduce myself!" he says, as the minions produce insturments and start to play a low, slow beat. Soon, Heat Miser starts singing, along with his minions.

"I'm Mister Green Christmas, I'm Mister Sun.
I'm Mister Heat Blister, I'm Mister 101.
They call me Heat Miser, whatever I touch,
starts to melt in my clutch.
I'm too much."


"He's Mister Green Christmas, he's Mister Sun.
He's Mister Heat Blister, he's Mister 101."

"They call me Heat Miser, whatever I touch,
starts to melt in my clutch.'

"He's too much."

"I never want to know a day that's under 60 degrees,
I'd rather have it 80, 90, 100's a breeze!"

"Oh, some like it hot, but I like it really hot!"

"He's Mister Green Christmas, he's Mister Sun."

"Sing it!"

"He's Mister Heat Blister, he's Mister 101."

"They call me Heat Miser, whatever I touch,
starts to melt in my clutch."

"I'm too much."

"Too much!"

The Heat Miser than has his seat at the head of the right side of the long table.

~~~~~~~~

The 'blue' minions on the left side of the table stand up and won't take Heat Miser's introduction sitting down. They produce insturments and start playing a more upbeat version of Heat Miser's song, as the doors on the left side bust open with a cold breeze, a lanky man with a vaudile starhat strusts through, complete with cane and starts singing his introduction.

"I'm Mister White Christmas, I'm Mister Snow.
I'm Mister Icicle; I'm Mister Ten below.
Friends call me Snow Miser, whatever I touch,
turns to snow in my clutch.
I'm too much."

"He's Mister White Christmas, he's Mister Snow."

"That's right!"

"He's Mister Icicle; he's Mister Ten below."

"Friends call me Snow Miser, whatever I touch,
turns to snow in my clutch."

"He's too much."

"I never want to know a day that's over 40 degrees,
I'd rather have it 30, 20, 10, 5 and let it freeeee-eeeeze...!"

"He's Mister White Christmas, he's Mister Snow."

"That's right!"

"He's Mister Icicle; he's Mister Ten below."

"Friends call me Snow Miser, whatever I touch,
turns to snow in my clutch."

"Too much."

"Too much!"

The lanky man throws his hat and cane off to the side, onto a magically appearing hat rack and has a seat at the head of the left side of the table.

"So what can we all do for you?" asks Snow Miser. "YOU MEAN WHAT CAN I DO FOR THEM!?" says Heat Miser.

"Sure whatever." says Snow Miser.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Briefly, Kureha side-glances at Amy, as if considering something the girl has said. Whatever thought crosses her mind, however, she doesn't put voice to it.

    (She's definitely considering which possible name sounds cooler.)

    But the minions are surprisingly fast to bring out their bosses. Truth be told, Kureha was expecting there to be more difficulty in securing an audience. But if the mooks are going to let them just meet the bosses, then... then...

    ...wh...

    ...what?

    They're singing. They... they are singing. She's here to save Christmas and they're singing, oh god. Somehow, SOMEHOW, Kureha is able to maintain a placid expression throughout the entire song and dance routine, and only when the duo ask why their group has come does Onihime speak again.

    It begins with a deep, formal bow. "I thank the both of you deeply for granting us an audience. My name is Onihime, of the Youkai Musume. I am a protector of the weak and the innocent. My allies and I have come at the behest of Mrs. Claus, to rectify a crisis at the North Pole which threatens consequences for this entire world."

    Folding her hands in front of herself, Kureha continues. "I am all too familiar with familial strife, and I would never dream to intercede in a disagreement between the two of you. I would ask only that you place your conflict on hold, that the rest of us may find safe passage to the North Pole. Would it be possible for us to come to an agreement? Is there any way I might assist in settling your differences, even temporarily?"

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Back at the sleigh... "Ham? Huh? Riventon-senpai? Daddy?" Firefly asked. She had one weakness... giant hams. She gave a light yawn and stretched out. "Hmmm? Oh! Right! Sorry!" she called out before jumping up and running after them...

Just in time to see the song and dance number... "Luminous Titan, begin recording!" she called, clasping hands together, eyes sparkling.

Once they finished, however, she held her glaive up and the energy blade... turned yellow. Like it was a flame. "Encore! Encore!" Firefly yelled with excited glee. Letting the glaive go, it just kind of... hovered there. While she happily clapped her hands and jumped up and down with excitement. "We're not going to have to fight them, are we? OH! OH! If we do can it be a singing battle? Like, battle carols? If we do, I call the Oni! We have an Oni back at obsidian but he doesn't sing much."

She had maybe had a few too many cookies.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Oh this is a musical now.

    Okay.

    "Did he just melt the wooden handle of a shovel...?"

    100's a breeze? Clearly this is farenheit, but Amy's almost sweating just imagining it, slumping over a bit with her arms hanging down.

    And then the other guy-- "Oh we're just doing two back-to-back, okay... I like how they cooperated enough to use the same melody for their songs..."

    She likes the cold more than the hot -- although in this body she can appreciate how others might dislike the cold a bit more -- but she certainly doesn't want it to be ten below! In any measurement system!

    "It doesn't matter-- I mean, can't you do different-- can't you have green Christmas and white Christmas in different parts of the world? And in any case... you usually don't make the weather at the North Pole so crazy! Santa needs to get out there to deliver presents, and even before he can do that, we have to get there to help him!"

    "Why can't you stop fighting, just for tonight, like you usually do? What's different this time?"

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    Mou stands there with her hands clasped together as the whole song and dance number plays out in front of the group. She finds herself... feeling out of her depth. Musical numbers were not a thing that she was mentally prepared for.

    At a loss for how to respond, she... claps. She claps politely for a few moments, then looks around to see if anyone else is clapping, and then stops to clear her throat.

    "Right, yes, we need to get through here in order to handle the issue at the North Pole. I'm sure it wont take too long. I can see you're both very... invested in your points of view, but surely you can put this aside as you usually do?"

    As for taking sides, Mou certainly prefers the cold, and it seems more natural for this time of year, but she's not exactly eager to deny or disparage the fans of warmth. Winter is usually cold enough as it is, after all.

    To Amy, Mou asides, "Yes... yes he just did." She doesn't really want to think about how a wooden handle just got melted. There's enough on her plate as it is.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Suddenly... When the minions calm down enough to open the door and Heat Miser and Snow Miser appear... Suddenly everything makes so much more sense.
    "Oh." Jolly Roger mutters glumly, eyes half-lidded and distant as she stares through the singing duo and their holly jolly underlings.
    These two can't decide on the weather, can they? That's what's causing the wild whiplash from snow to heat outside isn't it?
    The pirate-themed mahoushoujo heaves a sigh and adjusts her hat (hats are very important after all) before she stuffs her hands into her pockets as she waits for the musical numbers to come to an end.
    Thankfully Onihime is here to be diplomatic because Jolly Roger's USUAL course of action is to draw steel, stand and deliver.
    But... Today... Today she doesn't draw her steel. She's standing but there's no delivery as she slowly rubs her face with one palm.
    Slowwwwly she side-eyes Firefly for some reason but says nothing for the moment as her shoulder sag.
    Wow the poor pirate is just *radiating* gloom right now.
    

Veronica Perenna has posed:
The songs the Miser brothers sing is quite catchy and Veronica hums along the musical number. Sure, they are on a hurry to save Santa Claus, but one could say the song's allure is... too much. Eventually, that too comes to an end, and the two men start asking the reason of their arrival, albeit not without quarreling. Even that pits them against each other, apparently. This is going to be hard, but they are on a mission.

"I don't think we will have to", Veronica whispers to Firefly. "If they have gotten along for a long while, we can work our way out of this with pacific solutions. It's not like they are trying to damage Christmas, I think." Then she gets to address the Miser Brothers.

"Dear gentlemen, we must thank you for the melodious entrance you have chosen to honour us with, despite the disagreement between fine brothers who have yet cooperated for a long while. It has occurred to me that this is a matter of great eminence for distinguished people such as you two, but we have come here, not to stoke the flames and cold burns of your conflict, but to appeal to your generosity. We are currently in a vital section of the year, in which dear Santa Claus works spectacularly to turn the Earth in its entirety in a land of luminiferous joy."

For extra effect, she makes a mist of shimmering lights come out of her cane, decorating the cave all over. "I trust in your capacity to understand the severety of the misery this lack would cause, even beyond considering it would unjustly tarnish the reputation of a good man that is quite dedicated to his job. Unfortunately, a mysterious figure seeks to ruin Christmas, and we would be on our way to understand the cause if you would be so kind to put your conflict on hold, and grant us passage to the land of the North Pole, for which you would have our eternal gratitude."

Nanoha Takamachi has posed:
Before anyone can say anything, Snow Miser raises his hand. "CAROL OFF!" he demands. "NO." says Heat Miser.

"LOOK." says Heat Miser. "Santa Claus isn't coming this year cuz some jerk is amassing an army at the North Poke, so it's our time to shine!" he says.

"But I'm here!" says Mrs. Claus. "We have a deal."

"No, we have a deal with Santa Claus." says Heat Miser.

"Look. I'm all for the winter, you know how it is, but this jerk won't let up!" says Snow Miser. "I gotta keep fighting back the whole time." he says. "Oh that isn't true!" asides Heat Miser.

Mrs. Claus looks besides herself and crosses her arms, she still has pilot goggles on her forehead. "Won't you two get along even for a small bit!?"

"Ugh, fine, why should we grant you passage!?" says Heat Miser. "Oh, this is gonna be good." says Snow Miser, as he pulls a bag of popcorn from somewhere. "Look, you gotta sell jerk butt here on it." he says. "I'm sold, I'm just protecting my interests."

"AND I HATE CHRISTMAS!" says Heat Miser. Oh dear.

Nanoha Takamachi frowns a little at this fact and says. "But...but Christmas..." she says. "Aren't you two brothers, can't you get along even for a small bit?"

"NO." both go at the same time.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Kureha stands quietly, listening to the two of them speak. Her head cants slightly; her expression remains impassive, but she's very clearly listening to the both of them. It is, however, when the Heat Miser says that he hates Christmas, that the oni shakes her head slightly.

    "I don't think you do."

    Her hands are spread slightly. "Or else, why would you name yourself 'Mister Green Christmas'?"

    Bringing those hands back together, the girl looks back at her allies, then at Mrs. Claus; then, back to the brothers Miser. "For you to have a deal with Santa Claus at all, you must hold respect for him. For you to both wear the Christmas weather you bring with pride, I think there is some fondness in your heart. I say to you now - if we are not able to pass, there may be no more White Christmas, or Green Christmas. There will be no more winter wonderland, no more trips below the equator in the coldest months. Should Christmas not be saved, both of you will find nothing but a loss. And, I think... you would both be poorer for the loss of a man you respect, as well."

    Bringing her clawed hand up and staring at it, Onihime adds, "...believe me. My family and I are on especially poor terms as well. I can understand your frustration with each other. But..." She looks between each brother. "...we do not even ask that you cooperate with each other. Simply... do not fight each other. Visit your favorite climes for a day. Find enjoyment in the company of friends. Rest, and enjoy your own time."

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Jolly Roger watches on, tired, gloomy, and laconic for a good long moment...
    See, it's as the Miser Brothers decide that this is their moment and they no longer need to uphold prior deals with Santa or Mrs. Claus that the undead pirate-themed magical girl sags where she stands.
    'Why should we grant you passage?' Heat Miser demands, showing himself to be the more obnoxiously difficult of the pair, and Erika glances between the two mythical men slowly, green eyes half-lidded.
    "I hate Christmas, too." She announces, tone as morose and glum as she looks.
    "But just because I don't enjoy this time of year doesn't mean everyone around me has to suffer." She points out, rubbing the back of her neck, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.
    "If anything, do it for that." She says. "Even if you hate Christmas, there are far too many people in this world who need the cheer and joy." She says motioning for the others around her.
    "They all came here to save Santa, because if they don't who will? Certainly not me, I couldn't care less y'see." She shrugs. "... I always had one Christmas wish of my own. It's never once been granted as long as I could remember. So why am I here? 'I'm here thinkin'... Maybe... Maybe this one time'll be different. Maybe I *will* get what I want for once. *Maybe* this year'll be different. But the only way that'll happen'll be if Santa be rescued, y'see." She says as she...
    Plucks a guitar from the hands of a minion and gives it a little strum as she sighs.
    "Anyway iffin' ye won't listen to reason, maybe this'll be somethin' ye'll listen to." Muttered as she draws a breath... And starts to sing, tone somber and melancholy.

    "It's Christmas time, and there's silence on the sea...
    It's Christmas time, the bag's frozen in my tea.
    And all I want is something else to do,
    Than get lashed with me crew,
    It's hard to be a shanty man on Christmas...

    I should have known my letters were in vain...
    Coz Santa's sleigh, won't brave this shipping lane.
    Frozen ropes are all I have to hold,
    But nothing feels so cold,
    As being a shantyman on Christmas!

    I have the deck but there's no halls!
    No carols like a siren's call!
    No deer in sight, but rain it pours in droves!
    All year it's haul and pull and hoist!
    I'm losing hope, I've lost my voice!
    I sure could use some Christmas cheer back home...

    But alas...

    It's Christmas time, I fear just like the last,
    Put up my lights and tinsel round the mast,
    Grin and try to find some yuletide cheer...
    But I can't find it here.
    It's hard to be a shantyman on Christmas...

    Woe is me the shantyman on Christmas...!
    So think about the shantyman this Christmas..."

With a slow breath her song comes to an end and she passes the minion back their guitar as she turns her back on the Miser brothers- and everyone else for that matter.
    Was that a tear gleamin' in the corner of the pirate's eye?
    Nah ye be imaginin' things mates.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Okay, the misers stop being charming and musical and go right to fighting, and demonstrate their true priorities by refusing to respect Mrs. Claus.

    She's sooo tempted to fight, but... what if elemental weather god-things are way above the girls' weight class?

    This anger... has to go somewhere.

    Amy crosses her arms. "Ah. So your 'deal' with Santa Claus is conveniently ignored the moment he's not personally in the room, huh? I thought we were dealing with men of their word. Good to know what your agreement is really worth." She stifles the temptation to threaten to let the world know and let all of Humanity's wrath come down on these two (as if the veil would allow it, but maybe they don't know.)

    She turns to the others, "Let's go. I'll use rockets to get us past the storm, Santa doesn't need these two." It's reverse psychology!

    And then Jolly Roger sings a song.

    Damn that's... actually a really sad sentiment. She keeps her back turned to the misers as she holds back tears.

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    "You... hate Christmas..." repeats Mou Fubuki. "Wait... if you hate the cold so much, why are you all the way up here? You could move to the equator or something." Onihime suggests that Mister Green Christmas may not hate the season as much as she claims, and then she suspects that he's just being grumpy.

    "It's a wide world out there. There's plenty of room for both White and Green Christmases. You could each have what you wanted without denying the other their heart's desire. Unless for some reason you can't part from each other?"

    Mou Fubuki is still at a loss here. There might have been a time when she thought she understood diplomacy... but now she wondered how much of that was her being gifted vs. how much of that was her family just expecting way too much from her. At least the sea shanty gives her more time to think and adapt.

    "You said you had a deal with Santa Claus. What was it, and has it been left unfulfilled? If it's within our power, we could try to make things right this year, and if instead it's something only Santa can do, then I'm sure that rescuing him will set things right."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly nodded with the sparkle skirts as they suggested the brothers work together! Well, she assumed brothers. They seemed similiar. Not a lot of ice and fire elementals running around.

Awwww. The pirate seemed sad, too. She gave a comforting smile to her before nodding to Veronica. "Ohhhh." Her eyes went wide at Veronica's speech. There was... it was very proper and refined. She was having a little trouble following it, but that was mostly because she was on an adventure to save christmas and hopped up on sugar and milk and AWESOME!

And then the two elementals just... just refused to listen to any of them! She let out a gasp, grabbing her glaive and pulling it bag. She tugged on it and it made a clicking sound, lick a cocked gun. < Violence? >

"How can you hate Christmas?! Christmas is awesome!"

< Violence! >

Not yet, but soon... And then... then the pirate did a SONG! She let out another gasp, her eyes going wide. And... "Wait... are... are you actually... a pirate? I thought it was a magic theme?" She then sighed... Well... hmmmm. They needed ice for christmas and... She sighed.

One last heart to heart from the others, singing and... "So... ummmm..." she asked, inching over to Mrs. Claus. "So... if we had to hit one of them... which one should we hit?" she whispered.

Nanoha Takamachi has posed:
Mrs. Claus looks like she's at the end of her rope. That's when other Mahou's chip in. Mrs. Claus looks at Firefly perplexed. "Don't attack them!" she whispers back.

The Miser Brothers stop their bantering and bickering to listen to the various points of view. Christmas is important, or so Snow Miser thinks so. "Look. I'm not the one you gotta get on your side here, it's him." he says.

Heat Miser crosses his arms. "I refuse!"

He says to the various points of view. "Christmas is a layabout holiday, anyways! All just a lead in for a new year, who even makes this stuff up anyways!?" Heat Miser says.

Then Jolly Roger sings and there's an awkward pause, as Snow Miser flicks a frozen tear from his eye and Heat Miser has to consider the shanty because it's a song and these two seem to live off this stuff.

"UGH, Fine." goes Heat Miser. "But what do I get in return!?" he says, dramatically, as if he's entitled to something.

"Ugh." goes Snow Miser. "Look, we had a deal already, why don't we just use th--"

"No I want more!" says Heat Miser. Oh Dear.

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    More. Heat Miser wants more. Mou Fubuki crosses her arms and frowns. Whatever deal they had with Santa Claus was apparently not enough for him. It also doesn't help that they didn't really answer her question, so she repeats it. "So... what was the deal?"

    Dealing with entitled people isn't something that Mou is unfamiliar with. It's just a reality of growing up with a rich family. Part of her wants to just placate him and move on, but another part of her worries that caving in to his every demand will only lead to more demands in the future. How could she deal with this in a way that wont be making things harder for Santa in the future?

    "I don't really know what you want, other than heat. As far as that goes, well... that's not really something I can help with." She opens her hand and produces a snowball. "My powers lie in the... opposite direction."

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    There might have been more for Kureha to say. Really, there probably was. But her thoughts are pushed away by the melancholy of the Jolly Roger... and then utterly obliterated by that song. She can only stare, quietly, at a loss for words.

    It's the responses of the Miser Brothers that push her out of it, and even then, Onihime is a little at a loss. It takes her a moment to gather her thoughts, but even still she's not able to come up with something that might appease the lord of Christmases Green. "Ah... well..." A faint frown. They have the element of fire in common, but if anything, Heat Miser's flames are beyond hers. He can affect the weather. And he doesn't look like cares much for battle, so a spar is right out. No, think. What might two aficionados of heat have in common? What...

    ...heat.

    "Good sir Heat Miser," Onihime asks, reaching up to give her hair a flip. "...are you a fan of spicy foods? My own skills in the kitchen are still far from presentable, but I have the funds to treat you to a feast of Christmas heat, if you should so desire."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Dear Heat Miser, being lead in for a new year is not being a layabout holiday. It's precisely because it's at the end of the year that people can use it to recall the jovial spirit that the previous year's fatigue may have lessened. Would you like it if everytime each summer came around people became more and more saddled with each year's fatigue and all you would have to see if everyone's misery? Please think about it." Veronica throws in her 2 cents.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Subtly, Jolly Roger wipes her eyes in the same motion as she adjusts her hat. It would besmirch her image for others to see her shed a tear, and so she turns back to face the Misers.
    "Yar. That I be, lass." She does reply to Firefly. "Born on the sea, me heart belongs to the water."
    That's not true, she was born in Tokyo, in a normal hospital, but this doesn't stop Erika Shimizu from being a complete and total pirate chuuni.
    Okay, well, her heart does belong to the sea, that much *IS* true, but that is neither the focus here at the moment as Heat Miser pompously demands more.
    Briefly, she considers just shooting him.
    It would be fully in character for a pirate to do so, and she slowwwwly reaches into the folds of her greatcoat before stopping when Mrs. Claus says to not attack.
    Sigh.
    "I got nothin', then, I played me cards."
    She's going to have to bank on Heat Miser liking spicy food as Kureha presents that option.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly pouted when violence wasn't the answer. But violence was usually the answer! Especially when they said mean things about christmas. Worse, they were being greedy. No. HEAT was being greedy. She looked to Nanoha and... "Do you think if they won't work together, this means Fate-kohai won't get any presents this year?"

Well, if she couldn't be violent, that didn't mean she couldn't tempt her kohai's friend into violence, right?

She saw people at Obsidian do it all the time, and Riventon does it with Mami, so that's okay, right? Her Senpai taught her.

She's innocent, honest.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    I want /more/.

    Amy whirls, hands clenched. "People like you make me sick. You'll hurt billions of people for no other reason than because you. Want. more. You think you own the world." She walks closer to Heat Miser. "You think you run EVERYTHING. That EVERYTHING should bow to you."

    She walks right up to him with hands on her hips, looking up at him. "And so the true Heat Miser is revealed. Not a Heat Miser... but a Heat Tyrant."

    She turns and sweeps an arm dismissively at Onihime. "Don't 'offer' him things! Then he'll just demand more next year!"

    She turns back to Heat Miser. "You will honor your deal. I..." She shakes her head. "I wanted this to go differently. Peacefully. We throw ourselves on your mercy, and you rise to the occasion, show your better natures, and are merciful."

    "But tyrants don't have better natures. Beings that only hurt others for their own gain, parasites on the world who feed themselves to bloating..."

    "We hunt them."

    She shifts her position, like she's readying to drop into a fighting stance. "So which are you, Mister Hundred Degrees? Are you Green Christmas? Or are you a parasite?"

    If Amy gets the chance to stop seeing red at all the unjustness, she might be terrified.

Nanoha Takamachi has posed:
Arguments are listened to and both sides seems to take this both into account. Now. Snow Miser? He's cool as a cucumber. He answers the question poised by Mou Fubuki. "Well see. I got a little winter at the equator, he got a little summer above it, we both we're moderately okay, but then..."

"Then Santa's gone and why should I honor a deal with a guy who isn't even gonna come around this Christmas!"

Then Amy Faust makes her loud declaration and Heat Miser scoffs. "I said I'd listen to solutions, what more do you want from me!?" he asks, dramatically.

Then Onihime makes an offer and he raises a hand at Amy, mid tirade to listen to her and he asks. "How hot?" he asks. Rude!

Now we're getting somewhere, perhaps. Maybe.

Mrs. Claus looks hopeful.

But then Nanoha eyes go wide. "B-but we're trying to solve this without.. fighting." she says to Firefly. "Let's give everyone a chance, first!" she says with a little bit of a 'Kermit flail' about.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    It has been a long, long time since Kureha Senkenzan has stared at anyone as sharply as she is currently staring at Amy.

    "...you and I are going to have words later about picking your battles."

    There is a slow, deep breath. Her composure restored, she declares simply, "If we can pass this obstacle without violence, I am more than content to do so." Giving her hair a casual flip, Onihime turns her attention back to Heat Miser, and allows a small smile onto her face. "I have been taking my first steps into the world of heat recently. I live in Tokyo, and there is a restaurant in Shibuya which specializes in American hot sauces and spicy cuisine. Ghost Peppers. Carolina Reapers. I have enough wealth to see that you feast well, at whatever level of spice you desire."

    There's a brief, side glance at Mrs. Claus. "...we may need assistance in getting everything here freshly cooked. Or in getting you to Shibuya without frightening the populace. But I'm certain we can work something out."

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Oh no Amy has lost all cool.
    "Belay that, lass!" Jolly Roger hisses sharply.
    Thankfully Onihime seems to have caught Heat Miser's attention. Hopefully that'll lead to a peaceable solution.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "The solution is you honor your deal!" Amy shouts. "You KNOW that Toymajin is interfering and that's the only reason Santa's not here! We're here to RESCUE him so he can BE here!" And then the thought occurs to her that Heat Miser is breaking the deal because he's working with Toymajin... But he really doesn't seem that smart. He's probably just stupid and greedy. But accusing him or pointing that out probably won't help.

    And even her friends and allies are against her, in her eyes supporting letting a bully get what he wants, showing that holding Christmas hostage will be rewarded.

    Amy sighs and slumps, defeated. At least it seems Onihime is making headway with showing off hot things. She can help with that! "You want hot things? Fine. Where do you wan' em? Is there a room or something I can heat up for you?" She manifests a lit flare and tosses it to him to demonstrate that she can make hot things. The actual fire part is very small but burning brightly at thousands of degrees. He's a being of elemental fire or something so it can't hurt him even if mishandled.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly blinked a few times and leaned against her glaive before nodding. "Okay..." she mumbled softly. She wanted violence, though! Buuuut... she could acknowledge that the other girls were right...

Even if she thought the other girls were more right. The hot guy was breaking his deal, he should be hit. If Riventon-senpai was here surely he'd result to glaiving some people. And fate would totally blast them and--

Wait. ACK! Mrs. Claus was here. Was her being violent going to get her in more trouble?! Wait, no, she was a villain, she... was probably already on the naughty list.

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    A part of Mou Fubuki wants to let Amy keep going. If Heat Miser hates cold so much then she's pretty sure she can make him miserable. She's only keeping a lid on it out of respect for Mrs. Claus. In truth, a fight with Heat Miser could serve as a warm-up for the Toymajin fight. Alternatively, it could wear them out and weaken them for the battle that actually matters.

    In the end, while letting a bully get to have their way does suck in the moment, after everything settles out you get to move on with your life and they still have to deal with being an unlikable asshole.

    On the other hand it may very well be the case that Heat Miser simply feels shafted because, to him, Santa went no contact for no clear reason.

    "I think we can take Mr. Claus's good faith as given, considering his reputation. I'm sure he'll honor his word once he's free. It's not as if he wanted to show you up. He has been waylaid by a nefarious monster named Toymajin, hellbent on interfering with his obligations. I'm sure once the situation at Santa's workshop is sorted out, things will go back to normal. If you could but grant us passage, we could not only rescue Santa Claus but remind him to honor your agreement."

    She creates another tiny block of ice in her hands and starts shaping it into a tiny sculpture of a Santa hat, mostly to satisfy her desire to fidget than anything else. "We're experienced at dealing with magical monsters. If we promise to speak to Mr. Claus on your behalf, would that be enough to satisfy you?"

Nanoha Takamachi has posed:
Onihime makes a convincing enough argument. Hot peppers? Food? It's... something more. Heat Miser considers this with his minions, gathering together in a small huddle, and then, he looks around and says. "Very well! I accept. The normal agreement, AND this..hot meal. In exchange we stop fighting, deal?"

"Deal!" says Mrs. Claus.

"I'm fine with that." says Snow Miser non-chalantly.

Amy produces a fire. Heat Miser considers and says. "I could make it hotter in here. But then. Wood would melt again." he says bluntly.

"We're good then!?" asks Mrs. Claus.

"Yes!" says the Miser Brothers. "On the condition I get this meal in the next few days!" Heat Miser says, dramatically.

"Good. We have a husband to save." she says as she starts to leave. Nanoha Takamachi follows suit, behind Amy somewhat. "H..hey you gonna be okay?" the young girl asks Amy.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    So that's it then. The Misers will stop fighting.
    All is well and good but something nags at Jolly Roger...
    "... So..." She muses, falling into stride with Mrs. Claus.
    "... What be this original deal the Misers had with ol' Chris Kringle?"

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    So, the bargain has been struck. Mou Fubuki isn't sure how to feel about this, but who knows? Maybe Onihime and Heat Miser will bond over spicy foods or something. Either way, it's for the best that they avoided a fight here. At least it's better than dealing with her difficult relatives.

    "Well, with all of that sorted, let's be on our way. Thank you for your time, gentlemen." She turns to leave, following Mrs. Claus out. There was no violence this time. That, she figures, will be happening when they hit the workshop.

    What a weird Christmas, but at least she gets to have an adventure for her birthday.

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    Once again, Onihime merely stares at Amy, for several long seconds. This time, however, she doesn't even offer a comment. Instead, she simply folds her hands together, and turns to face Mrs. Claus. "I will be available any time other than New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. It's short notice to prepare a fair-sized feast, but I will see to it that the restaurant workers receive a generous bonus for their time. I will only need assitance from yourself or your husband in getting it here." A pause, and then a hairflip. "...I'm certain you know on which list my father is likely to fall. I have no compunction against spending his money for a good cause."

    Though she speaks the words to the First Lady of Christmas, they're as much for everyone else as they are for her.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Somehow it... works? They're not even expecting Onihime to cook right now? Then why was Santa needing extra time to get here a problem?!

    Amy turns to leave with the others. She glances briefly at Nanoha, answering with a grumpy, curt "No."

    Back in the sleigh, Amy sits near Mrs. Claus and looks out over the edge, pouting. "For a moment, I felt like a child again. Santa and you are real. Anything was possible."

    Her fingers gripping the edge of the sleigh tighten. "We let a bully hold Christmas hostage today. And I know. That sometimes you have to make comprimises because the bad guy has a big stick. That morals and hope fall by the wayside when practicality -- or rather, practicality in a world where the bad guys hold all the cards -- is put first. We live in a world built on those comprimises. I see news of people suffering every day while our society stands by and does nothing. That's reality, or at least the reality built upon hundreds of generations of humans making bad decisions, each time cowed by evil and making it even harder to put things right. I sure didn't have another answer! I failed and passed the buck, hoping that they'll" she sweeps an arm to indicate the other girls less than half her age (and in Nanoha's case, less than a third. Maybe only a fourth?) "fix it when they grow up somehow! I'm just... it's all I can do to protect them so that they'll live long enough to try!"

    "But we're in a sleigh that flies to every house in one night, on our way to the North Pole to save Christmas!" Amy turns to face Mrs. Claus, fists balled and eyes wet. "This is magic! If it can't be better... if it has to be tainted too..." her lip starts trembling. "If it's no different than the world back there... then WHAT IS THE POINT?! Where's the MAGIC?!"

    After yelling, she turns and folds her arms on the side/edge/railing of the sleigh, resting her head on them and blinking back tears as she sulks. "I didn't become a magical girl for this."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly held her glaive up into the air. "Woo! We did it! We... won."

Firefly, however, couldn't help but... actually kind of agree, just a bit, with the red one. "I wanted to hit him, but wasn't allowed," Firefly said with a shrug. "It's like Riventon-senpai says. Sometimes, you just need to be strong enough to make them scared to fight you, otherwise they won't listen to anything you say. Although..."

"... I wonder if it's cause I'm here? If I wasn't, would you have been able to make him see the light of not being a jerk? Is this a villain team up problem? Oh... Ummm... if... it is? I'm sorry... I just wanted to come help save christmas."

Kureha Senkenzan has posed:
    After the sleigh is moving, Onihime settles in, folding her hands in her lap and silently listening to... a lot of things, really. The soft sound of the winter snow. The breeze of the sleigh's flight. But mostly, she listens to Amy, to the frustration in the girl's voice. Fiery eyes close, and for a time, she is content just to listen. But as the Rocket Girl burns out her ire and finally settles down, the Ogre Princess opens her eyes again, and offers a simple, soft opening.

    "That was no bully."

    She turns her head slightly. "I grew up in a house of bullies. Those with power over me, who would use it at every chance. Those who ensured that I was under their thumb at even the slightest opportunity. Those who saw only a weak, powerless girl to use for their own benefit - or even their own amusement. That is my family."

    Eyes back on the sky ahead, Kureha Senkenzan utters a firmer, "The Heat Mizer is no bully. He is simply... petty, and saw a chance to enrich himself a bit. Great of power, but small of heart, and focused on himself. He is of no consequence and, if placated, no harm. He is not worth our time."

    There is a pause. A moment's hesitance. And then, haltingly, as if not sure how to do this sort of thing, she reaches out and places a hand on Firefly's head. P... pet. Pet, pet. "I can understand wanting to silence such petty voices. I assure you, I can. But, more than anything, we must remember what we are here for. We are here to do good. We are here to save Christmas. Ahead of us looms what is almost certainly going to be a taxing battle. If we fight every other battle along our way, we will only arrive exhausted, weakened, and unable to finish what we started. We must choose which battles we fight - which battles are worth fighting."

    And then, once again, she turns, this time to look over her shoulder at the home of the Misers. "...That was not a battle worth fighting. If I can shut such a petty man up by simply throwing my father's money at the problem- if I can save us a battle by placating a small, frustrating, but ultimately harmless man- then I will do so gladly. I have swept him out of our way with no effort, ensuring we have our strength for the coming battle; and if he causes such trouble again when there is no greater threat to give him any kind of leverage, things will not go his way."

    A pause.

    "...besides. That restaurant's food is... not bad."

Laisa Samuiko has posed:
    "I mean... evil magic users exist too," points out Mou Fubuki to Amy. "Look, we don't know anything about those two. Maybe they're upset because things aren't going their way, either. They had a deal that wasn't being held up, even if it wasn't Santa Claus's fault. Placating them in that situation isn't entirely the wrong thing to do. No, I don't think he was being very mature about it, nor was he very logical, and he wasn't dealing with it in the best way, but from the way it sounds he had a right to be upset."

    "There's also the possibility that some of these folk follow fae logic. You can't always apply human moral standards to them. The social contract could be very different. While I can control the weather to a limited, localized extent, their reach seemed to extend far beyond that. What we did back there might not be much different than appeasing an angry kami."

    Waving her hand dismissively, she concludes, "Whether he was some inhuman fae creature or just a petty, greedy man, the fact remains that he wasn't asking for much and we have bigger issues. Just think of him as a difficult customer and move on."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Firefly is worried that her villain status prevented the party from being able to Mahou Shoujo their way through that. Amy turns her head and shakes it, "No, I don't think it works that way. If it did... Maybe it was my being here that ruined it."

    And then Amy remembers that Firefly is probably the only person here who's killed someone.

    Amy finds herself wondering if it was because the girl is so young and innocent that adults have yet to convince her that stopping someone from hurting innocents is wrong.

    Onihime speaks up and gets Amy's surprised attention. She listens, but... "...Isn't that exactly what I'm saying? He got away with it because practicality mattered more than right and wrong and he knew it."

    Laisa is right too of course, but "He tried to stop Christmas for billions. Of children. And that's not the kind of magic I meant." Amy goes back to sulking as she looks out of the sleigh.

    It doesn't make sense. It didn't make sense, but she let herself get swept up in the moment. She doesn't know what these spirits do, perhaps they're shaped by human belief and acting out parts, but there's no way they visit every child in one night.

    Even her fellow magical girls -- albeit, the teenagers, and not the children -- are pointing out the practical reality of the situation.

    But once you let reality into magic, it gets its tendrils everywhere.

    There would not be stories about parents desperately trying, or failing, to get their child's hoped-for gift to preserve the Magic of Christmas. Children of poor parents would not get suspiciously less than the children of rich parents.

    Oh.

    Oh shit the other girls and Mrs. Claus know that, don't they. (Maybe not Firefly, who was also nearly moved to drastic action.) That's why they're so chill about it. That's why they told her to stop. Because acting like you actually believed it all would be insane. What she almost did would have been like leaping onto the stage of a play and exploding the villain to save the day!

    Yeah when she looks at it that way, everyone else's reactions... it tracks. It all tracks. She was the foolish one. So foolish!

    And now that she sees it, the anger fades. Surprisingly quickly it becomes a distant and faded memory; she can recall the chain of logic leading to anger but she just can't put herself in the mindset to feel it anymore.

    A piece of her heart is too old, perhaps. But it's okay. She still believes the big lies, and that belief burns bright in her SOUL. Like Rudolph's nose!

----

    "Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little-"
    YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
    "So we can believe the big ones?"
    YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
    "They're not the same at all!"
    YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET-- Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME... SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
    "Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what"s the point---"
    MY POINT EXACTLY.

                  --Susan and Death, Discworld: Hogfather, Sir Terry Pratchett