islandshore | 55

[Riku would not be the friend that he is if he let Sora off the hook for embarrassing attempts to get him a girlfriend. No, if Sora's gonna play that game, then it's only natural for Riku to follow suit, which is why he's addressing the network today.]

Hey, Johto. Kanto. Have I got some news for you.

[Riku grins wildly as he reaches behind his back and holds up a photo for all to see:]

See this guy? Dorky grin, messy hair, looks kind of like a goofball? Well, that's because he is, but that's not the point. No, the point is, he's feeling kind of down in the dumps. A bit lonely. Guy spends all his time glued to my hip, but deep down, he wants nothing more than to serenade someone special into the night, and--

[He has to stop himself because... man is he having trouble taking this seriously, but darn it. Sora needs a taste of his own medicine.

Right, after catching his breath, Riku continues.]

The point is, he's looking for a date. Or maybe a handful. Maybe even something longterm. Sora's a complete sap, making friends with everyone he meets, always wearing the same stupid smile, and, to be fair, he's probably the best friend a guy could ask for. But there is one little road bump: he actually believes in Santa Claus.

Which brings me to point two. See, I noticed a ton of people vouching for him, but I know there's gotta be at least some of you smart enough to admit Santa's made up. Even if you're not into bets, here's some incentive: speak up, and there's a chance you might get to see Sora belt out cheesy Christmas songs. Trust me, you'll get a good laugh.

[Well, Twilight suggested bringing it up. Whether or not it works remains to be seen.]

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[And this is Natsuki deciding it's too depressing for him to think about further. His brain really can't handle thinking like a regular adult for very long.]

No more, that's far too sad! Can we go back to talking about Santa again, please?

It's sad, but that's why I think people shouldn't tell kids he's real in the first place. Call me cynical, but I think Christmas is more meaningful when you focus on people you actually know.

[Friends, family, people who are tangible. They're the ones who should take the focus on the Christmas spirit.]

But Santa is such an important part of Christmas! And his flying reindeer, and talking snowmen, and Christmas cake... and cute winter clothes...!

[Okay that last part only really applies to Natsuki, and Christmas cake is more of a Japanese culture thing, but he has a good point for the rest. They're like integral Christmas traditions. It's hard for them not to exist just because of silly imaginary concepts.]

[SIGH. This guy does have a point, whether Riku wants to admit it or not. Whether it's through Christmas magic or commercialism, those images are iconic of the holiday season.

Man, what's he even gonna say to that?]

...Well, look. The idea of Santa's fine, but do we really have to tell kids he's real? Santa could just as easily be used as a symbol of holiday spirit.

[Once again, an amazingly reasonable concept that Natsuki is not enough of an adult of to understand, let alone respond to.]

You don't like Christmas very much, do you?

You do realize you can like Christmas without believing in Santa, right?

[He suppresses the urge to roll his eyes. After all, he doesn't see the problem.]

[Gears are turning........ and turning...................... and turning.]

You can?

Well, yeah. For starters, Christmas was originally a religious holiday... or a pagan one, depending on who you talk to. It wasn't always about the fat guy in the suit.

[There's some light laughter, accompanied by him shaking his head.]

Besides, you can still appreciate the holiday for what it stands for. Spending time with friends and family, giving gifts, that sort of thing.

Calling him fat is a little mean, isn't it? [Even if it's true.]

But I agree with everything else. The holidays are always the most important for friends and family! It's why I like it a lot, because you get to spend time with people you care about, and buy them presents that make them happy!

...also, Christmas cookies! And Christmas songs!

I'll agree with you on everything but the songs. Most of them are downright cheesy.

[But maybe that's part of the fun. Doesn't stop most of the popular tunes from being silly, though. Frosty the Snowman, for one.]

But a lot of them are very cute! And there are some that aren't cheesy at all!

...hm, I wonder which one is the best though? It's so hard to choose, since there's so many. --you know, if you have to sing, you need to pick a song! Which one will you choose?

See, here's the thing about the bet.

[He chuckles dryly, flapping one of his hands.]

Winner gets to choose the song, so I'm stuck with whatever Sora feels like. And if it's the Twelve Days of Christmas...

[Ugh. Talk about a song that never ends.]

I know that song! It's one of my favorites, since you end up singing about a lot of different birds! The part with the swans is nice, and the one with the turtle doves too.

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