{"id":30929,"date":"2022-12-30T05:30:01","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T10:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/?p=30929"},"modified":"2024-01-29T09:51:14","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T14:51:14","slug":"christmas-comet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/christmas-comet\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Comet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every year, we post a personalized Christmas story here on Tellest.\u00a0 You can see all the ones from the past several years by going to the DeAngelo Christmas Archive<\/a>.\u00a0 Or you can just jump to the latest story, Christmas Comet, below (although you will benefit from reading the older stories first).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Christmas Comet<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Tale by Michael and Rhianna DeAngelo<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The young pup ran from one member of her family to the next, harassing them until they grumbled or groaned or growled at her.\u00a0 The only one who narrowly escaped her rampant acts of noodgery was the old cat who sat atop the stairs, glaring down in silent judgment.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember being that young?\u201d Michael asked, having become one with the couch.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean running around excited for no good reason?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean being able to run around,\u201d Michael replied.\u00a0 \u201cAbout being physically able to do\u2026anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that was just last year,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd then we fought against frost giants and yetis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we can pretend that it was through glorious battle that we sustained these grievous injuries,\u201d Michael said, leaning back with a groan, \u201cbut I know that I was bested by a heavy pile of snow and a non-ergonomic snowshovel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna nodded, demonstrating a bit more melancholy than usual for that festive time of year.\u00a0 \u201cI think all my suffering can be traced back to a stubbed toe a couple of years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

The husband and wife were drawn from their thoughts when Luna, the newest member of their family, nipped at Zelda, their oldest pup.\u00a0 Though it was a playful bite, Zelda was having none of it, and turned from the beautiful, sweet thing she was into a grumbly, grouchy thing who snarled like a beast and chased Luna away.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to believe it\u2019s been a year already,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

Rhianna nodded, but then she pinched her eyebrows together and tilted her head.\u00a0 \u201cActually, for Luna, it feels like it\u2019s been a few years.\u00a0 Do you remember when she was just that little thing who looked like a mix between Zelda and Maisie, and we thought she\u2019d be their size?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust another of Loki\u2019s box of tricks,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cWe thought he\u2019d turned over a new leaf, only to find that he gave us a whole tree!\u201d<\/p>\n

Passing a glance to the back door of the house, Rhianna folded her arms across her chest.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m still not so sure the neighbors didn\u2019t really get tricked into bringing Loki in as a spy, to always keep an eye on us.\u00a0 I mean, it\u2019s right there in the name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight, that\u2019s what he wants you to think,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cThat he\u2019s just a dog.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know your tricks, Loki!\u201d Rhianna yelled, though Michael patted her on the shoulder, reminding her that it was nearly midnight.<\/p>\n

Michael wasn\u2019t the only one to react to the sudden increase in Rhianna\u2019s volume.\u00a0 Luna leapt onto the couch, and then stepped onto the cushions, only to lean forward and drape her arms over Rhianna\u2019s shoulders a moment later.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s backpacking!\u201d Rhianna said, chuckling as Luna rested her head on Rhianna\u2019s like she was trying to be some sort of furry hat.\u00a0 While Michael and Rhianna gave her abundant pets, Luna began to pant excitedly.\u00a0 \u201cI wonder if she\u2019s aware that something is going on.\u00a0 The other animals are usually so tired around this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they\u2019re awake, something\u2019s got to be going on, right Luna?\u201d Michael asked, prompting the dog to tilt her head sideways.<\/p>\n

That also seemed to be the only confirmation that the other dogs and the cat needed.\u00a0 Zelda sat up on her hind legs then, getting into \u201ctreat-begging\u201d position.\u00a0 Though Maisie was burrowed underneath a blanket\u2014her favorite place to be\u2014her tail was already wagging in anticipation.\u00a0 And Peanut\u2026 Well, Peanut was sitting atop her perch, at the halfway mark of the stairs, staring at Michael, Rhianna, and Luna, unblinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t be long now,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cBefore you know it, the portal will be opened, and we\u2019ll be headed back to see Santa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd headed to see what apocalypses we have in store for us this year,\u201d Michael joked.<\/p>\n

Rhianna blew out a little sigh.\u00a0 \u201cWhatever it is, I hope it\u2019s not another battle.\u00a0 My knees can\u2019t take another one!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither can my back,\u201d Michael said, taking that opportunity to stretch into a better position.\u00a0 \u201cHey, maybe that\u2019s what we can put on our Christmas lists this year for Santa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo thanks,\u201d Rhianna said in a teasing voice.\u00a0 \u201cI already had too much meniscus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, but with a little holiday magic, he could get you a brand-new knee.\u00a0 Ooh, or maybe one of those hoverchairs from\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Zelda squealed with excitement, begging as though there were leftover fries on the table. She whined, and whined, until Maisie joined into the silly chorus from underneath the covers, lending it a low, almost solemn howl.\u00a0 Luna, never quite learning how to howl properly, eagerly joined in, adding her high-pitched, discordant yowls into the air.\u00a0 They sounded more like the sound a toy laser gun would make than that of a distinguished canine.<\/p>\n

\u201cPew, pew, pew,\u201d Michael said, mocking the largest of their dogs.<\/p>\n

Peanut descended the steps too, feeling the calling of the howl as well, though she never lent any sound to the pack.\u00a0 But she climbed atop the ottoman at the end of the couch, passing a glance from one member of the chorus to the next.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, don\u2019t be so judgmental,\u201d Michael said, leaning forward to plant a kiss atop the cat\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

All the rest of the family could feel the Christmas magic beginning to arrive, but Luna, as excited as ever, kept up her noises.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what she\u2019s going to sound like,\u201d Rhianna mused.\u00a0 \u201cOh, good evening chaps.\u00a0 I was just having some tea in my garden,\u201d came her stately lady impression.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys need to know you can never stop feeding meeee!\u201d Michael replied with a faux squeaky voice.<\/p>\n

But as the youngest dog\u2019s fractured howls continued, they morphed into a different sound altogether, an almost singsong verse of \u201cI.\u00a0 Am.\u00a0 The.\u00a0 Best.\u00a0 At.\u00a0 Howls!\u00a0 I.\u00a0 Am.\u00a0 The\u2026the\u2026\u201d\u00a0 There was an abrupt stop to her discordant music, and she tilted her head, her little eyebrows raising in surprise. \u201cWait\u2026 I sound funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLuna!\u201d Rhianna said, squeezing their pup into a tight embrace.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s so nice to hear you speak!\u201d<\/p>\n

The dog\u2019s eyes went wide, and she forced out a sound.\u00a0 \u201cBark!\u201d she cried in the woman\u2019s face, though she could no longer make the noise, and instead said the word as a person would have said it.<\/p>\n

Rhianna closed her eyes and recoiled back from the loud noise.<\/p>\n

When Luna realized she\u2019d deafened her, she bowed her head, and pulled her ears back.\u00a0 \u201cSorry, you told me to speak!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay, little one,\u201d Michael said, tousling her fur between her ears.\u00a0 \u201cLittle big one.\u00a0 She doesn\u2019t use those ears that much to listen to us these days anyway,\u201d he teased his wife.<\/p>\n

Rhianna looked pointedly at her husband and arched an eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cHmm?\u201d<\/p>\n

Together, the two nuzzled into each other, laughing at the playful insult.<\/p>\n

But a list of real grievances needed to be aired, and Zelda, usually so refrained, rushed to the couch, and batted at Luna with her paw.\u00a0 \u201cYou there!\u00a0 You listen good!\u00a0 You might be twice my size, but you\u2019ll catch twice my vengeance because of it.\u00a0 You ate all<\/em> my toys!\u00a0 And you don\u2019t even have the decency to hide the fluff\u2014oh dear, the fluff.\u00a0 And\u2026and\u2026you try to steal my food, but I know!\u00a0 I know every bite that\u2019s missing.\u00a0 It\u2019s bad enough that Peanut does it!\u201d\u00a0 She cast a sideways glance at the cat.<\/p>\n

\u201cStolen food simply tastes more satisfying,\u201d Peanut purred with a feline smirk appearing on her face.\u00a0 She almost seemed surprised to hear her Christmas voice, and she quickly set aside to grooming as a distraction, licking at the underside of one her paws as though it were more interesting than the conversations being held in the living room.<\/p>\n

While Michael and Rhianna were more than happy to hear the newest member of their family talk\u2014and receive a hilarious scolding from her older sister\u2014they knew that they could not linger there indefinitely.\u00a0 Maisie, quiet before then, hopped up from her spot on the couch, freeing herself from the warm embrace of the blanket.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t get far, though, before Luna was there beside her, cobbing the fur on the back of her neck.\u00a0 \u201cWait,\u201d Luna said between nibbles.\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t leave me, okay?\u00a0 We have to stay together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Maisie replied with an exasperated sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer first Tellest Christmas,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd she already knows that something is up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere something in the air,\u201d Michael replied.\u00a0 \u201cEven if we didn\u2019t keep all the fluffies awake well past their bedtime, she might have sensed something.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Rhianna swept the sliding door to the side, she could not see anything, even though she felt the change in the atmosphere that her husband had described.\u00a0 It was almost as though a storm was coming, but the sky was clear, a canvas of stars twinkling down upon the family.<\/p>\n

Rhianna turned to Michael, who stared across the way, and gestured with his chin to the fence that separated their house from one of their neighbors.\u00a0 There, barely visible in the darkness, their white dog sat, looking up at the sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cLoki,\u201d Michael whispered.<\/p>\n

Luna ran outside to greet her friend through the fence, but before she took too many steps, she too realized that something was different about the world outside their house, and she stopped to sniff at the air.\u00a0 The rest of the family joined her there, even Peanut, though she took a bit of time to saunter onto a comfy spot of grass before she chose to sit.<\/p>\n

Michael closed the sliding door behind them.\u00a0 \u201cIt is after midnight, if we go by them being able to speak,\u201d he said to his wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope it\u2019s not going to be another situation where it\u2019s late,\u201d Rhianna replied.<\/p>\n

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, a bright, swirling light appeared above them, and almost instantaneously along with it, a thick fog joined it.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no!\u201d Zelda cried.\u00a0 \u201cAliums!\u201d<\/p>\n

A little less concerned, Michael kept his gaze focused on the light above, until it expanded, and he realized that it was in fact the portal\u2014though not quite where they\u2019d often seen it in years past.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, this is different,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The portal expanded, swirling like a disc in the air, and it hovered higher than the roof.\u00a0 As the glow around its edges grew, extending for the length of its circumference, it set the ground below awash in an almost blindingly bright light.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is the portal though,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do they expect us to do?\u201d Peanut said with a scoff.\u00a0 \u201cJump?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can do it!\u201d Luna said, excitedly.\u00a0 With a determined bark, she crouched low, wagging her tail.\u00a0 Then, with all the strength she could muster, she leapt into the air, her ears flapping from the motion.<\/p>\n

To everyone\u2019s surprise, she didn\u2019t come back down, instead remaining there in the air.\u00a0 Those big, floppy ears never settled back on her head either, and neither did her jowls.\u00a0 She kicked as best she could and began alternating glances at her family members in confusion as she panted with nervous energy.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuna!\u201d Michael yelled, running forward, and reaching up for the pup.<\/p>\n

But as soon as he stretched far enough, he too began to drift upward toward the portal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere we go,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s how we get to see Santa this year.\u00a0 Everyone, lift up your paws!\u201d<\/p>\n

Zelda excitedly stood on her hind legs, having had much practice in her begging position for almost a decade.\u00a0 Peanut was a little hesitant to do anything she was told, but with a sigh, she did spring up into the air, showing that she was still spry after more than twice as long in the world as her next oldest sister.<\/p>\n

Maisie had a bit of a hard time hopping up on her hind legs, prompting Michael to tell Rhianna to hold up before she hopped into the air.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to warn me,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cOur poor girl is just like me.\u00a0 We both have bum legs.\u201d\u00a0 She took a knee next to Maisie, who bowed her head a little and sighed as she stepped upon the woman\u2019s leg.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s okay, little one.\u00a0 You\u2019re doing great.\u00a0 And once we\u2019re in the air, we\u2019ll let the Christmas magic do all the work.\u201d<\/p>\n

That seemed to inspire the dog to make one last attempt at a little hop.\u00a0 Shortly after, Rhianna joined her, stepping off the ground until she felt the pull from the portal.<\/p>\n

With all the DeAngelo family floating in the air, they heard a whimper from the other side of the fence and watched as the neighbor\u2019s dog fled to the door of its house, scratching desperately to get inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright then,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cNot our<\/em> Loki.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnless it\u2019s a trick,\u201d Rhianna said, arching her eyebrow.<\/p>\n

Before they could ponder it much more, they could hear the sounds of change above them.\u00a0 Luna looked up, her eyes growing wide as she grew fearful.\u00a0 The fog surrounding the portal was swept inside, and the light refracted, almost looking as though it was bending toward the stars high above.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry Luna,\u201d Michael said, still trying to reach out to her.\u00a0 \u201cThis happens every year.\u00a0 It\u2019s nothing to be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

The man, high enough in the air, and floating at the center of the portal\u2019s reach, was flung into the vortex, disappearing from everyone\u2019s view.\u00a0 Luna screamed, but was the next to be drawn across realms, her cry echoing out in a strange fleeting sound.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, everyone,\u201d Rhianna said, trying her best to soothe everyone who had yet to find transport through the portal.\u00a0 \u201cYou know the drill.\u00a0 See you at the North Pole!\u201d<\/p>\n

Peanut and Zelda, the next highest up flew up through the portal then, apathetic, and excited, respectively.\u00a0 Rhianna managed to reach down and scoop Maisie closer to her, kissing her on the head just before they were thrown through the vortex as well.<\/p>\n

Then, with the DeAngelo family all snagged from their home, the magic that pulled them away disappeared, leaving silence in its wake.<\/p>\n

The dog next door howled, begging to be let inside.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though they had taken the journey many times by then, it felt far different than any other time.\u00a0 Inside the portal, it was tremendously dark, in stark contrast to the bright light that surrounded the entryway.\u00a0 Michael always felt as though he were falling endlessly, but in that moment, he felt instead like he was being stretched like a rubber band that was ready to snap.<\/p>\n

Michael crashed into a sturdy metal floor then, somehow remaining on his feet.\u00a0 He felt as though his body compressed from the landing, and he sucked in a painful breath of air through gnashed teeth.<\/p>\n

Luna\u2019s cry still echoed as she flew through the tunnel, and Michael looked up to try and see if he could see her.\u00a0 The surroundings, he realized, were as bright as the portal\u2019s light had been.\u00a0 It looked as though he was standing in a white void.\u00a0 Still, he refused to let the strange surroundings distract him.\u00a0 He reached out to try and catch the pup, but when she landed in his arms, her weight threw him off balance, and he somersaulted forward, slamming onto his back, while Luna smushed down onto his chest.\u00a0 Happy to have had a comfortable landing, Luna began smooching Michael\u2019s face, the poor man groaning as he contended with his pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cI keep forgetting how big you got,\u201d he said, though his speaking did nothing to convince her to stop licking his face.<\/p>\n

As excited as she was to continue, when Michael heard the excited squeal of another of his family members, he gave Luna a light little shove, to make sure no one crashed into her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWee!\u201d Michael heard Zelda yell.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t Zelda who came through first.\u00a0 Farther along, Peanut emerged from the light above, bouncing off of Michael\u2019s abdomen like it was a small trampoline.\u00a0 The man let loose a quick, sharp groan, and tried to catch his breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s okay,\u201d he struggled.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t need that spleen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just as soon as he recovered, Zelda landed on his chest, somehow finding a softer landing than the cat did.\u00a0 She wagged her tail, but looked up, realizing that she was not the last one through the portal.\u00a0 The second auburn-haired dog skittered from Michael\u2019s chest, scratching him as she went along.<\/p>\n

Maisie was there next an instant later, letting out a little sigh as she pressed her head against Michael\u2019s chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay, little one,\u201d he said, scratching behind her neck.<\/p>\n

But they both winced when they heard a loud slam around them, and when they dared to open their eyes and look up, they realized that Rhianna had arrived as well, setting herself in a wide stance as she landed on the metal floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhew,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI almost killed you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for not doing that,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

Maisie slowly slinked away, closer to the other animals, who still looked about in the white void, trying to figure out what was going on.<\/p>\n

Rhianna, meanwhile, blew out a steadying sigh as she shifted her weight off of one of her legs.\u00a0 \u201cI am definitely going to feel that later.\u201d\u00a0 She reached down and offered her hand to her husband, though she could tell he was careful in climbing to his feet.<\/p>\n

Michael\u2019s eyes had adjusted to the room better than anyone\u2019s, and as he looked around, he could see the subtle shift in the white tones.\u00a0 Wherever they were, it seemed they were encased in a metal box, and not outside in the cold and the snow of the North Pole.<\/p>\n

\u201cWere we hijacked by someone else again?\u201d Rhianna wondered.<\/p>\n

Maisie sniffed at the air, a look of distrust in her eyes.\u00a0 She seemed to sulk a moment later, bowing her head and slumping her shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cWhere are we?\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t smell like Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Almost as though something had heard her words, beeps and chirps filled the room, and columns of red and green lights appeared here and there, leaving the otherwise white room awash in festive colors.\u00a0 Still, the platform they stood upon seemed cold and uninviting.<\/p>\n

Zelda turned to look at Michael and Rhianna, panting as she tried to make sense of where they were.\u00a0 \u201cYou told us we were coming to see the elves and the reindeer.\u00a0 This feels suspiciously like the vet!\u201d<\/p>\n

Her people did not have time to give her any assurances before they heard more pointed beeping behind one of the walls.\u00a0 Michael realized that there were vague seams there and noted that it was actually a well-crafted door.\u00a0 He stepped in front of his family, even sweeping Luna back.<\/p>\n

But his worries were somewhat abated when he understood that the tones the beeping played sounded out the tune of Jingle Bells.<\/p>\n

The door slid open with a pneumatic hiss, and fog rolled into the room.\u00a0 The older members of the DeAngelo family had an immediate sense of who was waiting for them on the other side, for a pair of black boots gave way to a red and white outfit.\u00a0 When they spotted the fellow\u2019s beard, they were sure they were in the company of a friend once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome, DeAngelos!\u201d Santa boomed in his warm but thunderous voice.\u00a0 As he stepped into the room, the automatic door shut behind him.\u00a0 \u201cI hope your travels were\u2014\u201d He grunted as Luna crashed into him, jumping up and down against his broad chest as she tried to reach his face to give him greeting licks.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi new friend!\u201d she said between jumps.\u00a0 \u201cYou smell like cookies.\u00a0 I love you so much.\u00a0 Give me cookies please!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLuna!\u201d Rhianna reprimanded.\u00a0 It became apparent, though, that her warnings went unheard or ignored.<\/p>\n

\u201cHo ho, it\u2019s all right, little one,\u201d Santa said, but as soon as he was able to get a good look at the newest member of the DeAngelo household, he hummed to himself. \u00a0\u201cOr should I say big one.\u00a0 My brother must have\u2026 Well, you know how he is,\u201d he said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think all brothers have a bit of a mischievous side,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cBut yours definitely holds the record for level of deception, and the amount of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone took a few moments to catch up with Santa, or to introduce them to the newest animal in the DeAngelo menagerie.\u00a0 But it didn\u2019t take long for Rhianna to realize that their visit was not quite as urgent as it was in years past.\u00a0 That, together with the strange room they arrived in, as well as the appearance of Santa\u2019s suit, had her questioning things.<\/p>\n

Santa wore the usual colors, but his suit seemed sleeker, and more modern, with some embellishments on the boots and gloves, which made them seem to be attached to the suit\u2014one piece instead of many.<\/p>\n

\u201cSanta?\u201d Rhianna asked, looking around again at their surroundings.\u00a0 \u201cWhere are we?\u201d<\/p>\n

Though his brother was known for mischief, Santa wore a visage that showed that it possibly ran in the family, the very spirit of Christmas displaying a smirk.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, you\u2019re in my workshop, of course.\u00a0 One of them, that is, and not any of the ones you\u2019re used to.\u00a0 But why don\u2019t I show you so that you better understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t wait to hear if anyone had any objections, and he turned to exit the room.\u00a0 That time, the door opened on its own, without any holiday tunes necessary in order to activate.\u00a0 Santa led the DeAngelo family down the long corridor, still retaining a sort of pristine, neutral color, although it wasn\u2019t as light as the room that they had arrived in.<\/p>\n

Maisie sniffed at the air again, and Zelda noticed it and joined in.\u00a0 Even the humans visiting could tell that the atmosphere felt different.\u00a0 The air felt odd and artificial, like the scent on an airplane after it pressurized.\u00a0 Everything around them seemed odd as well, for it was silent beyond the sound of their footsteps and the odd beeps and chirps here and there.<\/p>\n

The corridor terminated at another door, and Santa reached forth toward the wall beside it.\u00a0 A panel popped open, revealing a keypad, and as Father Christmas set his fingers to work enacting the code, Michael and Rhianna recognized it playing the tune of Deck the Halls.<\/p>\n

Just as before, the door opened with a hiss, but that one didn\u2019t spill any fog into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to ensure that when you arrived, we didn\u2019t detect any dangerous foreign objects on you.\u00a0 Even the smallest things could have catastrophic results here at this station,\u201d Santa said.\u00a0 \u201cLuckily, you passed the tests, and are free to move about the whole facility, although I don\u2019t imagine we\u2019ll be spending a long time here.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the door opened fully, Michael and Rhianna sorely wished they were.\u00a0 Inside the building was a bustling workshop, just as Santa had said.\u00a0 Similar in appearance to the ones they had seen at the North Pole whenever they visited, it had a sleeker, shinier appearance.\u00a0 A blend of science intersected with the typical Christmas magic, elves and gnomes looking up from their tables to ponder glittering, glowing schematics that hovered in the air above their workstations.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, this is a more\u2026remote base of operations, but it serves us just as well,\u201d Santa said as he led the family through the workshop.\u00a0 \u201cYou see, this gives us the perfect means to verify that nothing is wrong with any of our stops, and that very little can interfere with us.\u00a0 Both my sleigh and my reindeer are outfitted with technology that allows them\u2014and me\u2014to travel through space and time.\u00a0 Can you imagine how challenging and inconvenient it would be getting around the worlds if I could only travel within the planet\u2019s atmosphere?\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael and Rhianna paused, and their furry animals stopped behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait a minute,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you saying?\u201d<\/p>\n

Santa clapped his gloved hands together and gestured toward the far wall of the building.\u00a0 Whether it was because of some Christmas magic that he had at the ready, or if one of his workers had quick, discreet access to a button somewhere, the wall there rose.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t as quick as the pneumatic doors they had seen thus far, instead opening slowly, like an old garage door.<\/p>\n

Because of that slow reveal, the family was able to see things in a bit more of a grand fashion.\u00a0 They noticed what looked like a snow-white landscape at first, but they soon realized that it was an uneven grey.\u00a0 And the sky was completely unmarred by any sort of clouds or light pollution, with stars twinkling in the distance.\u00a0 But as the door rose higher, they realized the truth of the special workshop they stood within.\u00a0 A bright blue sphere glowed in the night, far, far away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re on the moon?\u201d Rhianna and Michael said in unison.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They sat at a table in another room, looking out the long window that had been fashioned in the room, still gazing out at the planet before them every few moments.\u00a0 Santa had explained that it was Tellest, not Earth, but Michael pointed out that it was not that simple.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Santa had said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not necessarily about where you are, but when you are.\u00a0 That\u2019s what I\u2019d like to task you with this year, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019re always excited to help to save Christmas,\u201d Rhianna insisted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is a wonderful sentiment, dear,\u201d Santa said.\u00a0 \u201cBut it\u2019s a little bigger than that.\u00a0 If you\u2019re successful in tonight\u2019s mission, you\u2019ll do more than save Christmas.\u00a0 You\u2019ll save the world\u2014perhaps twice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, is that all?\u201d Michael said, blowing out an anxious sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis workshop is equipped with an intergalactic scanner, which has picked up a strange signal that we cannot quite explain.\u00a0 Something has been coming this way, fast, and it looks like it may be on an intercept course for Tellest.\u00a0 But,\u201d he said, raising a finger, \u201cit also somehow seems to be in a sort of time flux.\u00a0 We\u2019ve caught it in the same trajectory during your time as well, and it seems to be threatening Earth as well.\u00a0 As best we can tell it originates here, in this time, which is why we\u2019ve brought you here, instead of coming to visit you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, what is this?\u201d Rhianna asked.\u00a0 \u201cAre you asking us to stop an asteroid from destroying the planet?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not quite that bad,\u201d Santa said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s merely a small comet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAhh, much more our speed, and worthy of our expertise,\u201d Michael joked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what do you need us to do?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre we helping you and the reindeer catch it in your bag of toys?\u201d Zelda wondered.<\/p>\n

Santa let fly one of his big belly laughs but shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNo, my friends, I have to prepare for tomorrow evening\u2019s deliveries, so this mission will fall to you.\u00a0 I simply need you to track the object, and to divert it if we are able to determine it will, in fact, hit Tellest or Earth if it is left to its current trajectory.\u201d<\/p>\n

He slapped his legs then and rose from his seat.\u00a0 \u201cWell, we could sit here for a good long while talking about it, but then our window will have closed, and we would have missed the comet.\u00a0 So, let\u2019s head into this next room and make sure you\u2019re ready to go before I leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

The DeAngelo family followed Santa into an adjacent room, where they spotted a few pristine white suits hanging from a bar, as well as a strange vehicle that looked like a cross between a UFO and a space rover.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s all this?\u201d Rhianna wondered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we had to prepare you for your journey a bit differently this year,\u201d Santa said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll have to stay warm, yes, but this year, ensuring you could all breathe in the cold vacuum of space was our first priority.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s for thinking of us,\u201d Peanut snarked.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s start with the three little ones,\u201d Santa said, arching his eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cThe three of them will share the rover, which will help them get around as they follow you.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t expect Luna to keep growing, so we made some adjustments, as I don\u2019t believe she\u2019ll fit in the rover with the others.\u00a0 She\u2019s had a special space suit made, just for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd as for you two lovebirds,\u201d he said, pointing to Michael and Rhianna, \u201cYou two also each have a suit, and you\u2019ll see that there are some special attachments.\u201d\u00a0 He walked over to the suits, and spun one of them around, revealing the red sack that was attached to the back.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like one of your toy sacks!\u201d Zelda said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt uses much of the same technology,\u201d Santa said with a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cBut instead of carrying toys, they have an endless amount of oxygen.\u00a0 So long as you don\u2019t get separated from it, you\u2019d be able to survive until the sun blinks out of existence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael\u2019s eyes went wide as his brow furrowed.\u00a0 He lifted a finger in question.\u00a0 \u201cUh, do you expect that to happen any time soon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot in your lifetimes, hopefully!\u201d<\/p>\n

Santa urged his guests to prepare then, and Michael, Rhianna and Luna donned their space suits\u2014though they hadn\u2019t quite put on their bulbous, round helmets.\u00a0 The rover for the smaller animals opened up as well, the top sliding back and down, receding into a section of the vehicle that had been left for just such a reason.\u00a0 A ramp appeared then as well, sliding down from the main unit, ensuring that none of the animals had to make any awkward jumps.\u00a0 Maisie waited until Zelda and Peanut climbed into position, and then she followed in their footsteps.\u00a0 She sat down along the right side of the machine, looking up at Santa with moisture in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, little one?\u201d the jolly fellow asked.<\/p>\n

Maisie fought off an excessive sniffle.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just that\u2026we always have a feast, and it doesn\u2019t seem like we\u2019re going to have one this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Santa tousled her fur behind her ears and offered up a hearty laugh.\u00a0 \u201cFear not, Maisie.\u00a0 Before the end of all this, we\u2019ll be celebrating your success, and we\u2019ll have plenty of delicious food to fill our bellies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYay!\u201d she said, sitting a bit steadier then.\u00a0 \u201cYou heard him.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get on with the mission!\u201d<\/p>\n

Santa pulled Michael and Rhianna off to the side a bit, pointing out the window.\u00a0 Luna, not to be excluded from the conversation, jumped up and leaned against the window as well, though in her suit as she was, her paws were covered, almost giving them the appearance of little hooves.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust past that crater, we\u2019ve got a vehicle that will take all of you across the galaxy as quick as you like.\u00a0 It\u2019ll look very similar to my sleigh, in fact.<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, does it have reindeer?\u201d Zelda asked from the rover.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, not exactly,\u201d Santa said.\u00a0 \u201cI know you like to see Svetlana every year, but this mission called for something a little quicker, and I didn\u2019t think my team of reindeer would be up for the task.\u00a0 You\u2019ll understand when you see it.\u201d\u00a0 He tapped both of the human guests on their backs then and urged them toward another door.\u00a0 \u201cNow, you\u2019ll be in touch with some of my workers who will ensure you know how to operate the sleigh, and that you don\u2019t get yourself into any trouble.\u00a0 Are you ready?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot one bit,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cBut that\u2019s never stopped us before.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the spirit,\u201d Santa said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

As the six members of the DeAngelo family moved toward the door to another corridor\u2014three walking while another three sat atop the strange, walking rover\u2014they heard a bit of commotion in the adjacent room where Santa\u2019s helpers were stationed.<\/p>\n

The pneumatic door popped open, and Father Christmas passed a worried glance in that direction.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it?\u201d he asked one of his elves.\u00a0 \u201cIs there some sort of emergency?\u201d<\/p>\n

Brushing herself off, the elf stood a little taller, going rigid once she realized all eyes were on her.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s, uh\u2026it\u2019s not that, sir.\u00a0 We just heard the little one say that she was hungry and wanted to make sure none of them left on an empty stomach.\u201d\u00a0 She presented a few treats to the family\u2014some sort of jerky for the dogs, and a non-descript plastic tube for Peanut.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you expect me to do with that?\u201d the cat asked.<\/p>\n

The elf placed it in the rover, smiling at the finnicky feline.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s liquid fiskeblugen.\u00a0 It\u2019s safer and cleaner to travel with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peanut\u2019s eyes went wide with anticipation, and she froze, unable to look at the treat that had just been delivered to her.\u00a0 The elf chuckled and scratched the cat\u2019s ears before taking her leave once more.<\/p>\n

Zelda leaned over.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not going to cry, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSilence!\u201d Peanut grumbled.\u00a0 \u201cWhat I do with my face is none of your business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zelda snapped straight again, sitting quietly before she started to chew at her piece of jerky.<\/p>\n

Peanut wasn\u2019t left to her own devices for long, as Luna stepped in front of the rover and sniffed at the fiskeblugen tube.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re gonna share, right?\u201d Luna said.\u00a0 \u201cBest friend?\u201d<\/p>\n

Staring at the dog with what looked like a cross between grumpiness and disgust, she pushed herself up on her front paws.\u00a0 \u201cYou have good taste, and I knew I liked you for a reason.\u201d\u00a0 She paused then, letting the sound of her compliment wash over the big dog.\u00a0 \u201cBut no,\u201d she insisted a moment later.<\/p>\n

Luna grumbled and turned away, heading back to the other members of her family.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d Santa said.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s try not to have any further distractions before this unidentified object hurtles toward our planet.<\/p>\n

He walked to the other door in the room, prompting another keypad to display.\u00a0 Oh Christmas Tree seemed to sound as he pushed the buttons on that pad, and the pneumatic door there opened with a hiss.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you head into this corridor, the door will shut behind you, and the atmospheric unit will pressurize the room,\u201d Santa said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll hear a bit of a loud noise, but it should be over quickly, and then the other door will open.\u00a0 Remember, all you need to do is head up over that ridge, where your ride will be waiting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat shouldn\u2019t be too tough,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

Michael looked at her and arched an eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cSays the lady who still has to say \u2018car-side\u2019 and \u2018kitchen-side\u2019 instead of \u2018right\u2019 and \u2018left\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stuck out her tongue at her husband.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s one of my many wonderful quirks!\u201d<\/p>\n

A hearty laugh erupted from Santa, who used it almost as a way to silence his guests then.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, you can battle each other once you have your helmets on.\u00a0 And don\u2019t forget to make sure they\u2019re snug.\u00a0 Ah, come here Luna, I\u2019ll help you while they prepare their suits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks Santa!\u201d the excitable young pup said.<\/p>\n

After a few more moments, everyone was ready.\u00a0 The glass top of the rover closed, ensuring the smaller animals were safe on their travels, and they were slowly on their way.<\/p>\n

The door closed behind them, and from within their glass bubbles, it resounded with a bit of a deeper sound.\u00a0 Each of the family members in suits turned to regard the closed door, but before they could give it much thought, the atmospheric regulator activated as well.\u00a0 They could feel the pressure change in the room, the very gravity feeling like it had escaped into the rest of the workshop.\u00a0 Then, when the opposite door opened, they knew their latest adventure had begun.\u00a0 All the air was sucked out of the room, and they felt a bit of a pull toward the grey rock outside.<\/p>\n

Michael led the way, realizing at once how much slower his gait had become.\u00a0 \u201cWell, this wasn\u2019t how I expected to spend the day before Christmas Eve, but I\u2019ll take it!\u201d\u00a0 He turned around\u2014much slower than he planned\u2014and lifted his hands.\u00a0 \u201cAs long as we stop the planet from being destroyed, that is.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he arrived outside, he realized how grand and open the environment was.\u00a0 Without a tree in sight, the only thing present were the great stone dunes, and the craters that gave the moon an eerie and strange appearance.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I don\u2019t have to worry about my leg since I\u2019m not walking,\u201d Rhianna said with a chuckle.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I there\u2019s nothing to bump into either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive it time,\u201d Michael teased.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll find something.\u00a0 And even if you were someone who turned before you started walking in another direction, you wouldn\u2019t be patient enough for how slow we turn here<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do we always say?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

Michael smiled as he laboriously turned toward his family again.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t like the truth in this house.\u201d\u00a0 While he was turned around, he saw the slow, methodical way that their largest dog walked in her suit, and he pointed at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is probably the only place we\u2019ll ever be where she\u2019s weightless,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 She whistled then, drawing Luna\u2019s attention away from her paws, and to the spot a few feet away, where Rhianna kicked a moon rock.\u00a0 Rhianna was absolutely spot on with her assumption that Luna would attempt to fetch.<\/p>\n

Despite the lack of gravity, Luna moved quickly, and caught up with the floating rock, opening her mouth as she drew near.\u00a0 Of course, it merely bounced off of her large round helmet, reporting with a loud thunk<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI meant to do that!\u201d the pup insisted.<\/p>\n

While she had moved quite far from Santa\u2019s moon base, the three animals in the rover had barely made it a few feet.\u00a0 The vehicle they operated moved forward in awkward little hops, tilting this way and that.\u00a0 Zelda and Peanut grumbled at each other, arguing about who should pilot the vehicle.\u00a0 The cat claimed that seniority afforded her the right to move the rover, while Zelda scoffed.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re too old to drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peanut\u2019s eyes grew wide, and she slowly brought up her hand to expose her claws.\u00a0 Zelda\u2019s muzzle wrinkled as she took an uncharacteristic stand for herself.<\/p>\n

As the two older animals bickered, Maisie lowered her head, and cleared her throat.\u00a0 \u201cUm, excuse me,\u201d she said, but her timid voice was drowned out by the arguing between the other two.\u00a0 Maisie pointed at a big button in the center of the craft, with the word \u201cautomatic\u201d written above it.\u00a0 \u201cHey!\u201d she cried then.<\/p>\n

As Zelda and Peanut grew quiet, Maisie lunged forward, and smacked the button.\u00a0 The rover seemed to instantly stabilize, gently drifting along then.\u00a0 It seemed to follow the humans as they made their way, and Maisie sat back, smiling at her success.<\/p>\n

After having a bit more fun in the lower gravity of the moon, Michael and Rhianna ushered the rest of the family toward the hill in the distance.<\/p>\n

Before they had even reached the bottom of that hill, a nasal voice seemed to whisper across the landscape.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeAngelo family, do you copy?\u00a0 Over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone looked at one another, trying to get a sense of where the sound had come from, although Luna froze, except to tilt her head in confusion.\u00a0 When she heard a bit of static then, she jumped into the air, trying to spin about and catch her tail, as though the sound had come from her own behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, who is this?\u201d Michael asked.\u00a0 When enough time had passed, he hummed to himself.\u00a0 \u201cDo you need me to say \u2018over\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

After another crackle of static, they heard the voice again.\u00a0 \u201cThis is Mervius.\u00a0 I\u2019m one of Santa\u2019s elves.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to be on your communicators, helping you to navigate.\u00a0 Now listen, the celestial object isn\u2019t in our vicinity yet, but it\u2019s moving fast.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got to get to the sleigh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard him!\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cDouble time!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019re at like half time right now,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cStrive for normal, everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the two humans and Luna half ran and half swam through the weightlessness of the moon\u2019s gravity, the rover seemed to be moving about with considerably more ease.\u00a0 The rover climbed the hill with ease, surmounting the ridge quicker than the others could.<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, I see the sleigh!\u201d Zelda said.\u00a0 \u201cCome on slowpokes!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEasy for you to say,\u201d Luna grumbled, still struggling to climb the hill.\u00a0 \u201cYour little car is doing all the work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re just mad you can\u2019t fit in it,\u201d Maisie teased, giggling at the thought.<\/p>\n

Not to be dismayed, Luna pushed, showing her tenacity and determination.\u00a0 She hoisted herself over the ridge, flying up into the air, and coming to a landing just beside the rover.<\/p>\n

\u201cEek!\u201d Zelda cried out.<\/p>\n

Peanut sighed then, bowing her head.\u00a0 \u201cWhy did I have to be stuck with you,\u201d she grumbled.\u00a0 \u201cAnd in a vehicle named after a dog, to add insult to injury.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael and Rhianna were a bit behind everyone else then, but they finally drew near to the sleigh as well, noting how modern and sleek it looked.\u00a0 A festive green paint job could be seen, thanks to the atmospheric light coming from Santa\u2019s workshop, and they could also see that it had been designed for an aerodynamic ride, the front honed into a point.\u00a0 Most things had been planned to account for the members of the DeAngelo family, with a small, round groove in the sleigh\u2019s back area\u2014a perfect fit for the rover, they realized.\u00a0 In the front seat, there were two velvety ribbons fashioned there, looking like seatbelts of some sort.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Mervius?\u201d Rhianna asked, fighting to remember his name.\u00a0 \u201cAre these ribbons here up to code?\u00a0 They seem a little unsafe if we\u2019re chasing after an asteroid hurtling through space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Static crackled for a moment before they heard the elf\u2019s voice again.\u00a0 \u201cWell of course,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re not really ribbons. \u00a0They\u2019re made from the finest material that we give to the elven warriors for armor, almost the same material as your oxygen sacks.\u201d\u00a0 Static fizzed for a moment, but they could hear his nasal tone come through again.\u00a0 \u201cBy the way, when we realized how big Luna was getting, we crafted another one of them into the seat.\u00a0 You\u2019ll see it at about the halfway mark, and you can attach it to her spacesuit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna was able to locate the attachment after a few moments, and she clipped it against a small metal hoop on the chest of Luna\u2019s suit.<\/p>\n

\u201cDeAngelos,\u201d they heard in their helmets again.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re going to want to move soon.\u00a0 I just heard a bloop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, what\u2019s a bloop?\u201d Luna asked.\u00a0 \u201cIs it tasty?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mervius must have spoken before hitting the button on his end, because they heard his response already in mid-sentence.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026on the radar every few moments.\u00a0 Whatever it is, it\u2019ll be passing you soon if you don\u2019t hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael grumbled, quickening his pace.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, everything here feels like it takes longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

He and Rhianna found more of the ribbon-like fabric in the back of the sleigh, and they worked to cross it over top of the rover.\u00a0 There were some leftover ribbons back there as well, and they tied them over Luna, too, the large pup almost looking like a Christmas present herself then.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want you jumping up in excitement and flying off into space,\u201d Rhianna said with a laugh.\u00a0 But as the words resonated in her helmet, she realized there might have been some truth to the statement, and she pulled the knots a little tighter on Luna\u2019s ribbons.<\/p>\n

Finally, Michael and Rhianna hopped into the front seat, grabbing hold of the strands of ribbons where they could, and tying them around themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you almost ready?\u201d Mervius asked.\u00a0 \u201cI still need to explain how to fly the sleigh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re getting there, Merv,\u201d Michael said, as he and Rhianna tied the remainders of their ribbons off into bows in their laps.\u00a0 \u201cAlright, I\u2019ve got the reins.\u00a0 What do we do to get this ship into orbit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, I hope I don\u2019t get motion sick in space,\u201d Rhianna muttered.\u00a0 \u201cI should have asked for some Dramamine as an early Christmas present.\u201d<\/p>\n

The static hissed for a time, and then the family heard some papers rustling in the background.\u00a0 \u201cAll right, so, the steering should be the same as any other sleigh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMervius?\u00a0 Buddy?\u201d Michael called out.\u00a0 \u201cAre you learning this stuff at the same time we are?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I didn\u2019t build the thing!\u201d the elf said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m just communications.\u00a0 I\u2019m communicating with you how to use it!\u201d\u00a0 He cleared his throat then, and settled down, just a bloop sounding in the background of wherever he was as he prepared to continue.\u00a0 \u201cMoving forward and slowing down should be the same, too.\u00a0 You\u2019ll snap the reins to get going, and you\u2019ll give them a tug to come to a halt.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound of whatever manual he was reading from was heard again then, prompting Michael and Rhianna to look at each other with a bit of concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are also three buttons to be aware of.\u00a0 Do you see them?\u00a0 They should be blue, yellow, and black.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re here,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, that\u2019s good,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cSo the bright blue button is\u2026your bash button.\u00a0 You\u2019ll use that to collide with the object.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, did you say collide?\u201d Rhianna asked in astonishment then.\u00a0 \u201cLike, on purpose?\u00a0 I knew we were supposed to divert the object, but Santa did mention this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fine,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry.\u00a0 All the simulations showed a ninety-nine percent success rate.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, there was silence from Michael and Rhianna, until Michael brought his finger up as though to rest it on his chin, only for it to bounce off of the round helmet there.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Mervius?\u00a0 What happened in the other one percent of the simulations?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was only silence from the other side of the communications system, except for the sound of a bloop on the radar, which came few and far between.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoving on,\u201d Mervius said, finally.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll see a yellow button, too.\u00a0 That will activate a tractor beam, which you can use to haul whatever the object is back to the workshop.\u00a0 Now this is imperative: don\u2019t use the tractor beam on the object while it\u2019s racing through space.\u00a0 You\u2019ll tear the sleigh to pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShouldn\u2019t these buttons have come with warnings, or glass casing or something?\u201d Rhianna asked her husband.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then we have the black button\u2026\u201d the elf said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u201d Luna said, peering up over the seat.\u00a0 \u201cWhat does the black button do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Before anyone could say anything further, those in the sleigh could hear the bloops a little more rapidly then.\u00a0 They heard Mervius gasp then as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s here!\u201d the elf cried.\u00a0 \u201cYou need to get moving now, DeAngelo family!\u201d<\/p>\n

Luna began shouting then, and they realized by the intonation that it would have appeared to be her strange howls if it had been any other time than Christmas.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook.\u00a0 There.\u00a0 It is!\u201d she cried, and the family looked to their right, to see the celestial object blazing across the black velvet canvas of space.\u00a0 It looked like a sphere that burned blue as it passed.\u00a0 \u201cGet after it!\u201d Luna cried.\u00a0 \u201cFetch!\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael leaned on the seat and shouted.\u00a0 \u201cAll right everyone, hold on!\u201d\u00a0 He snapped the reins, the magical leather straps snapping against the front of the sleigh.<\/p>\n

At once, the enchanted vehicle lifted from the ground, hovering and rumbling.\u00a0 They could hear a mechanical noise report from beneath, and then they heard the deep thrum of some sort of engine.\u00a0 Just as they had seen with the projectile soaring across space, blue flames appeared behind the sleigh, launching them forward.<\/p>\n

As they moved, a new celestial being seemed to form, as though they were collecting stars in their race forth.\u00a0 An immense reindeer with mighty antlers appeared before the sleigh, a sort of living constellation, and it pulled them forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Zelda\u2019s going to be upset if she doesn\u2019t get to see this at some point,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

Though there were noises all about them, the family could just hear the sound of the communicator static.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re on your way,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd it looks like you\u2019ve met your hyper speed assistant, Dasher.\u00a0 Are you ready to see how fast the sleigh can go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes!\u201d Michael challenged, unable to rein in his own excitement.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right!\u201d Mervius shouted.\u00a0 \u201cPreparing for a reindeer rush!\u201d<\/p>\n

The family heard a klaxon reporting from wherever Mervius was stationed, but they could see that it affected them across whatever distance, as Dasher, the celestial reindeer reared up, and then lunged forward, jolting them forward with a speed that rivaled the pull of the portals that brought them to Tellest every year.<\/p>\n

They followed in the object\u2019s wake, but they moved too quickly to be able to identify what it was.\u00a0 To Rhianna\u2019s relief, none of the scatterings of space particles or other debris damaged their sleigh.\u00a0 It was as though Dasher created an invisible forcefield that surrounded them.\u00a0 Iridescent flashes of light could be seen every now and then as it protected them, making it feel as though they were in a bubble caught in a raging tide.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you read me?\u201d Mervius asked then, his voice cutting in and out.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re going to have to go faster so that you can bash\u2014er divert it away from the planet.\u00a0 You don\u2019t have much time now!\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael growled and snapped the reins again, worrying that he wouldn\u2019t be able to make the artificial reindeer move any faster.\u00a0 But it seemed that the ethereal creature noted his sense of urgency, for a moment later, they sped up.\u00a0 The constellation\u2019s legs moved rapidly, as though it were comprised of shooting stars.\u00a0 Even a strange, deer-like grunt resounded as it worked hard at catching up to the object.<\/p>\n

Michael was able to bring the sleigh closer toward the strange astrological phenomenon, and he looked to his wife for support.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you ready Rhianna?\u201d he shouted.\u00a0 \u201cWhen I say \u2018now\u2019, I\u2019m going to need you to hit the blue button.\u201d<\/p>\n

His wife grew nervous, hovering her hand over the blue button to ready herself.<\/p>\n

As they drew nearer, they realized just how large the ball of earth was.\u00a0 It seemed to grow larger and larger, subverting their expectations with every foot they cut across.<\/p>\n

Giving one last fierce snap of the reins, Michael was able to pull the sleigh up alongside the object.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow!\u201d he cried.<\/p>\n

Rhianna hit the button, and at once, the celestial reindeer reacted.\u00a0 It bowed its head, and turned to the side, driving forth with its massive rack of antlers.\u00a0 With one mighty hit, it struck the ball of rock, sending it flying off course.\u00a0 It spiraled out of control, drifting off into space.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d Rhianna said, pointing to the dislodged object.\u00a0 \u201cWe have to go after it.\u00a0 Santa no doubt wants to know what we\u2019ve discovered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nodding in agreement, Michael pulled the reins to the side, and then gave them a mighty shake again, urging Dasher onward.\u00a0 At once, they gave chase.<\/p>\n

Behind the front seat, Luna\u2019s excessive panting could be heard, even through the thick glass of their space suits.\u00a0 When Michael and Rhianna turned, they saw that a bit of fog presented across the glass helmet on Luna\u2019s suit.\u00a0 She pushed up against the seat, putting her helmet into place, before she licked a long line of slobber onto the glass, granting her sight again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was so much fun!\u201d she yelled to the rest of her family.<\/p>\n

Rhianna reached back and tried to scratch the dog\u2019s head but realized as her hand bounced off of the helmet that she would not be able to do much.\u00a0 She moved it farther back then, scratching Luna\u2019s spine through the spacesuit.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you okay back there?\u201d she asked as she leaned over the seat and spotted the three smaller animals in their bubble along the floor.<\/p>\n

Zelda and Maisie said nothing, pressed up against the persnickety puss, whose eyes narrowed in annoyance.<\/p>\n

\u201cMervius,\u201d she said, a cold air seeming to run about the sleigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh\u2026 Yes?\u201d he asked in reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou,\u201d she said, sounding wicked despite saying little.\u00a0 \u201cYou almost made me lose my\u2026fiskablugen!\u201d\u00a0 She yelled loud enough for feedback from the headsets to come through and cause a rise of static.<\/p>\n

Mervius grumbled then.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, sorry about that,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t think that Dasher would be so\u2026destructive.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry, Peanut.\u00a0 It was all a mistake, I assure you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just that her and the other animals expected a preliminary feast ahead of time.\u00a0 But Santa did say that we would be reporting back to him and would be getting some grub then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA feast made for a king,\u201d the elf said.\u00a0 \u201cBut that largely depends on whether or not you figure out what happened to that object.\u00a0 You\u2019ve saved the planet, and we\u2019re incredibly grateful for that, but there\u2019s still more work to be done!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, we\u2019ll head after the thing,\u201d Rhianna said. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s still going pretty fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat might even be faster,\u201d Michael mentioned.\u00a0 \u201cDid we just veer it off course, or did we give it an extra little bump?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell don\u2019t just sit there talking about it,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cGet after it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael snapped the reins again, and Dasher was off.\u00a0 The planet they rescued seemed to slide backward in space, and Michael and Rhianna knew that they were going impossibly fast\u2014quicker than any human on their planet had ever gone before.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know,\u201d Michael said, \u201cif we weren\u2019t wearing helmets right now, Luna\u2019s jowls would be flying around like crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna giggled at the thought of it as she slowly turned about to glance at the panting pup.\u00a0 \u201cYou know,\u201d she replied.\u00a0 \u201cIf we weren\u2019t wearing helmets right now, I\u2019m pretty sure our heads would explode.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s quite possible too,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

As time passed, they eventually caught up with the object, and though it had been quite a while that they gave chase, reaching it seemed easier than the first time.\u00a0 They realized that when they hit it, they had sent it spinning, and while it had given it a noticeable boost, it couldn\u2019t maintain that speed for quite as long.\u00a0 Still, the blue planet was but a tiny dot in the great void of space behind them, and another planet was before them.\u00a0 Orange and brown, it looked a bit like it was covered in flames.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Mervius,\u201d Rhianna called out.\u00a0 \u201cMervius can you still hear us even after all this way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMervius, we have a problem,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

After a brief silence, they heard the telltale static of a communications attempt.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it?\u201d \u00a0They heard the elf\u2019s voice come through, though indeed, it sounded somehow distant, even though his voice resonated through their helmets.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like the object is going to strike Venus!\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Mervius asked.\u00a0 \u201cWell, we can\u2019t let that happen either!\u00a0 It could have dire effects on the whole solar system\u2014the galaxy even!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, then we have to think of a plan,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

His eyes flashed, and he tried to snap his fingers, but the suit made it difficult.<\/p>\n

After a few more attempts, Rhianna nudged him with the back of her hand.\u00a0 \u201cUse your words.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDasher seems like it has a mind of its own,\u201d Michael explained.\u00a0 \u201cBut is there a way that we can just have him do exactly what we want it to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we could try and put him into manual mode,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cWhat did you have in mind?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDuck his head like he\u2019s going to swipe up with those big antlers,\u201d Michael replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are we doing?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething I used to do in my racing video games all the time,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s see if it works with celestial reindeer just as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no\u2026\u201d Rhianna said, looking from side to side along her lap.\u00a0 \u201cI need more ribbons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael watched as Dasher moved into position, adjusting in an almost mechanical way, as though beneath the swirl of starlight and cerulean there may have been some metal rods and gears.\u00a0 When he was sure the reindeer was ready, he swiped to the right with the reins, just brushing against the other object, and sending it spinning the opposite way.<\/p>\n

That seemed to send it off course again, slowing it considerably as it wobbled its way toward the other planet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat helped a little,\u201d Rhianna said, \u201cbut I think it\u2019ll still hit the planet if we can\u2019t stop it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said Venus, right?\u201d Mervius asked.\u00a0 \u201cIf it gets too far into the atmosphere, even if you did slow it enough where it didn\u2019t split the planet in two, you\u2019d never be able to recover it.\u00a0 Venus will melt you from inside your suits!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we need to figure out something else,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cWhat about the yellow button?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tractor beam?\u201d Rhianna asked, her voice dripping with incredulity.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, if we use the tractor beam while moving at the same speed as the object, and then gradually slow down, we should be able to stop it before it moves into orbit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll never work!\u201d Rhianna cried.\u00a0 \u201cThe sleigh will be torn to pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will<\/em> work,\u201d Michael insisted.\u00a0 \u201cIf you just believe.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stared at him, clenching her teeth together, when a crackle of static resonated in their communication systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn theory, he\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSanta\u2019s counting on us,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cYellow button?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna blew out a sigh that fogged up her helmet a bit.\u00a0 \u201cYellow button,\u201d she said with a nervous shudder.<\/p>\n

\u201cYellow button!\u201d Luna added.<\/p>\n

Rhianna leaned forward and hit the button, and Michael\u2019s eyes went wide.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not ready yet!\u201d he shouted, as he hurried to snap the reins and move Dasher into position once more.\u00a0 \u201cMervius, Dasher\u2019s not moving!\u00a0 You have to take it out of manual mode!\u201d\u00a0 Although he panicked, he could tell that the sleigh still sped up.<\/p>\n

A golden ray of light cast out from the vehicle, just beneath the celestial reindeer\u2019s body, and as it stretched its way toward the object, Michael snapped the reins again and again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a moment, and I thought we were saying we were ready!\u201d Rhianna cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou believed too hard!\u201d Michael teased.\u00a0 He was able to match speed with the object before the tractor beam enveloped it, but just as soon as it did, they could feel the juddering affecting their vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, massage,\u201d Zelda\u2019s tiny voice said from the back of the sleigh, her voice trembling as she said it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, hang on,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cMervius, any way you can help us decelerate at an even pace?\u00a0 I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be able to pull back the reins in a way that will be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn it!\u201d the elf said.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, they could see as their rapid pace began to diminish, Venus not quite growing across their view of space as much as it had.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to make it!\u201d Rhianna cried out with glee.<\/p>\n

While the object continued to spin, its forward momentum was nearly gone.\u00a0 They had grown close enough to Venus that they could feel its warmth through their spacesuits, and Michael even had a few blades of sweat visible on his brow from the reflection of the sunlight on the planet.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thing we didn\u2019t let it get any farther,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cSo, what have we got there?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Rhianna said, narrowing her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cDasher and the tractor beam are sort of making it hard to see.\u00a0 But it looks oblong, like an egg.\u201d\u00a0 She leaned out of the side of the sleigh and confirmed that it did indeed look like a large egg, though it was colored an iridescent silver and gold.<\/p>\n

\u201cEgg?\u201d Mervius asked.\u00a0 \u201cDid you say egg?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love eggs!\u201d Luna cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cUs too!\u201d Maisie shouted from below.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t leave us in here.\u00a0 Let us eat some eggs too!\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael turned to his wife then and began uncinching the ribbons.\u00a0 \u201cShall we get a closer look?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Mervius echoed in their communications modules.\u00a0 \u201cNo, you have to get back to the station.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t take orders from other people when there are omelets on the line!\u201d Peanut said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRelax Mervius,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a good idea for us to check this out before we bring it back to the moon.\u00a0 We don\u2019t want to cause more danger if we can identify it here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though the elf didn\u2019t say anything, the DeAngelo family could hear him sigh, a bit farther away than the communicator.<\/p>\n

Rhianna pulled her ribbon apart then as well, but she didn\u2019t realize as she floated up and out of the seat that Luna grabbed hold of hers with her teeth.\u00a0 In only a few moments, the big dog was able to leap into the absence of gravity as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait for us!\u201d Zelda cried.<\/p>\n

Michael and Rhianna drifted close to the egg, and they could feel its warmth.\u00a0 Even from a few feet away, they could feel the thing beating, and they looked at each other with nervousness etched into their faces.\u00a0 The egg was, after all, nearly as big as the sleigh.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until they heard a frightening crack that somehow resonated throughout the sound of space that they looked down, and realized that their youngest, largest dog was present.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuna, what are you doing there?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

The pup didn\u2019t respond as she floated toward the underside of the egg.\u00a0 She tilted her head, her nose twitching as though she could smell something through the round helmet she wore.<\/p>\n

Her eyes widened though as the egg began to open.<\/p>\n

A silver and gold head poked out of the bottom of the egg.\u00a0 Sleepy eyes spotted the auburn-furred pup and looked at her from an inverted position.\u00a0 Seeing the first leaving thing, the creature cooed, and opened its eyes further in excitement, beautiful emerald orbs landing on Luna\u2019s excited face.<\/p>\n

Michael and Rhianna drifted down then as well, realizing at once that the creature from the egg wasn\u2019t some unspeakable or altogether unfamiliar alien.<\/p>\n

It was a baby dragon.<\/p>\n

That baby dragon spotted the two humans and let fly a little gasp that barely resonated through the vacuum of space.\u00a0 It floated from the egg, and once its body had cleared it, the shells collapsed on themselves, bursting out of existence altogether.\u00a0 The dragon lunged forward with a clawed hand, but it was its long tail that wrapped around Luna, pulling each closer to one another.\u00a0 With an almost draconic smile, it placed its head on the top of the dog\u2019s helmet and closed its eyes.<\/p>\n

Everything seemed to freeze in time then.\u00a0 In a flicker of light, the dragon and Luna appeared to shrink into nothingness, and were immediately gone from sight.<\/p>\n

Though they floated in the void of space, Michael and Rhianna felt as though at any moment their legs would shudder, and they would somehow fall further.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuna!\u201d Rhianna finally found the will to cry out.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s happened to her?\u00a0 Where is she?\u201d<\/p>\n

For another moment, everything seemed to stay frozen, but then they heard the static preceding Mervius\u2019s communications.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019m still reading her signal,\u201d the elf said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you\u2019re not going to believe this: they\u2019re on Tellest!\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael and Rhianna didn\u2019t say anything to each other as they hurried to swim back through space toward the sleigh.<\/p>\n

Finally, feeling like it was taking too long to arrive there, Michael broke the silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should have never got out of the sleigh,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cMervius, why didn\u2019t you try to stop us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d the elf demanded.<\/p>\n

They could tell that he was about to go on a tirade, but static reported, and they realized he must have let go of the button on his end.<\/p>\n

The humans arrived back at the sleigh and noted the worried looks on the faces of the animals still stuck in the rover.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid something happen?\u201d Maisie asked, her voice sounding quiet and pitiful.\u00a0 \u201cSomething bad?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna\u2019s face contorted from a look of despair into one of stoic hope.\u00a0 \u201cNo, little one,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re just going on a little detour.\u00a0 Just one more stop on our adventure.\u201d\u00a0 She looked to her husband then, who could see her swallow away the emotion building up in her throat even from within her space suit.<\/p>\n

Michael climbed into the sleigh and began to tie the ribbons around his waist again.<\/p>\n

\u201cMervius,\u201d he said, a new weariness in his voice, \u201cwhen we get going, I want you to help me get Dasher up to speed.\u00a0 I want to head back to Tellest faster than we came out here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust make sure you\u2019re safe,\u201d the elf said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll handle everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few moments later, Michael helped to pull Rhianna into her seat, before slowly turning the vessel around.\u00a0 Tellest was so far away then that they could barely see it.\u00a0 He looked to his wife again, who was so distracted by her worries that she didn\u2019t begin to fasten her ribbons together again.\u00a0 He rubbed her leg and handed her the strand that was closest to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll find her.\u00a0 But I don\u2019t want to find her and then have to come back out here to find you because you went for your own little flight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna blew out a sigh and set to work, tying the ribbon with her fumbling hands.<\/p>\n

With a little flick of the reins, Michael began moving the sleigh forward, but once he was certain his wife was cinched in, he snapped them a little harder.<\/p>\n

\u201cMervius, get us to Tellest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right.\u00a0 Hold on.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sleigh burst ahead, hard and quick enough that Michael and Rhianna had to fight against potential whiplash.\u00a0 But whatever magic protected the sleigh seemed to give them enough pushback on their suits to keep them from any danger.<\/p>\n

With Mervius pushing the sleigh to its limits, and the family lost in thoughts of worry, they seemed to blink their eyes once before arriving before the planet, and it looked as though Dasher skidded to a stop just before they entered Tellest\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re here,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s something strange I have to tell you about, by the way.\u00a0 The signal has remained on Tellest since Luna and the dragon disappeared, but it\u2019s been moving around on the planet.\u00a0 And you\u2019re not going to believe this, but it looks like they\u2019re in the North Pole region.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we land the sleigh on the planet, Mervius?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course,\u201d the elf said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll bring you in to where the signal last reported.\u00a0 Just sit back and relax.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael turned to look at the animals who were stuck in the rover, each of them looking as melancholy as the either.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s going to be okay,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll find her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before long, they entered the atmosphere of the planet, and they could see the frosted plains of the north pole between the clouds that swirled above it.\u00a0 Dasher looked even more majestic against the fields of white, and when the family landed upon the ground in a clearing beside some trees, they felt as though it was the celestial reindeer\u2019s hooves that thumped against the ground first.\u00a0 The sleigh slid to a stop, and Michael and Rhianna untied their ribbons.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, before you go anywhere, give me a minute to see if I can make some adjustments to your sleigh,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 The family could hear beeps and chirps in the background, but finally the elf returned.\u00a0 \u201cI just made some changes to the frequency array.\u00a0 If I\u2019m right, it should stop the dragon from being able to teleport again in the vicinity of the sleigh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thinking,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cWe can\u2019t be flying all over the galaxy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael took off his helmet then, breathing in the fresh, crisp air of the frozen north.\u00a0 He set it on the seat, and then climbed out of the sleigh, walking around to the back of the vessel to release the trio of animals from the rover.<\/p>\n

\u201cHurry up,\u201d Maisie pleaded.\u00a0 \u201cMy leg popped out somewhere in space and I need someone to put it back in!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Peanut\u2019s threatening to eat her fiskeblugen, and I\u2019m too young to die!\u201d Zelda cried.<\/p>\n

As Michael pulled the last remaining ribbons off of the rover, the glass top descended into the rest of the smaller vehicle, and the animals stretched and climbed from their seats.<\/p>\n

Michael bent low, and massaged Maisie\u2019s leg, and the pitiful little pup gave a look of appreciation as she stepped up from the rover.\u00a0 Zelda and Peanut already ran about, sniffing at the air as though they were somewhat familiar with where they were.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s get going, everyone,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t want to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

His words trailed off, for he could see from afar that Rhianna wore a look of disdain as she looked upon the ground in the trees beyond the clearing.\u00a0 Michael ran to her so quickly that he didn\u2019t even realize he had started moving.\u00a0 But when he arrived there, he felt his legs buckle, and it was only his desire to support her that kept him standing tall.<\/p>\n

There, on the ground, was Luna\u2019s space suit, but no sign of the newest member of the DeAngelo family member was present.\u00a0 Her helmet was cracked, and the oxygen sack was in tatters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dragon,\u201d Rhianna whispered, a tear falling from her eye, \u201cit was too strong for her.\u201d\u00a0 Though the suit kept the cold at bay, the teardrop froze on her face.<\/p>\n

Zelda and Maisie arrived there as well then, sniffing at the discarded space suit in an attempt to cover up the sound of their sniffling.\u00a0 But when they looked up at Rhianna, it was clear they couldn\u2019t hide the moisture on the rims of their eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to miss all the times she would ask me to play, even when I was too sleepy to want to,\u201d Zelda lamented.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe did some annoying things,\u201d Maisie said then.\u00a0 \u201cBut they were annoying things that we loved about her.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to not have her staring at me when I\u2019m eating my food or have to worry not having a snuggle buddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you all right, Peanut?\u201d Zelda asked.\u00a0 \u201cAre you going to miss anything about Luna?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d the cat said.\u00a0 Though her words seemed cold, she looked at them with a furrowed brow before looking farther into the trees.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re right over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sure enough, the rest of the family could hear growling, and the unfamiliar sounds of the baby dragon.\u00a0 They rushed to stand next to Peanut, wondering if there was a battle unfolding, and if Luna was fighting for her life.<\/p>\n

But as they spotted the ginger dog, they saw that it was anything but a fight brewing between the two.\u00a0 The baby dragon was on its back, playfully kicking at Luna, who grumbled and growled in jest, jumping on the creature\u2019s scaled belly a few times before running away from it and circling it in the snow.<\/p>\n

Her family stepped forward, and the crunch of the icy snow beneath them echoed out in the area.\u00a0 The dragon cooed and rolled to its side, but Luna perked up at once, her ears drawing back and her eyes widening.<\/p>\n

When she spotted all her favorite people, her mouth popped open, as close to a canine smile as anyone had ever seen.\u00a0 She sprang forward, bounding across the snow without any delay.\u00a0 Michael crouched low, hoping for a warm embrace, but she had already leaped into the air.\u00a0 She crashed into him, knocking him to the ground, began bathing his face with kisses.\u00a0 Rhianna was there a moment later, hugging the dog before she wrenched free and licked her as well.\u00a0 When she\u2019d had enough of that, she bounded around Zelda and Maisie, running figure eights as fast as she could, and eliciting playful cheers from her sisters.<\/p>\n

Without missing a beat, she charged toward the dragon then, running up toward her as though she planned on knocking her down.\u00a0 But at the last second, she juked to the side, and circled around her before running back to her family.\u00a0 She was so distracted by her zoomies that she didn\u2019t realize that Peanut slowly walked up to the iridescent dragon.<\/p>\n

At that time, when Luna reached her loved ones, Michael was prepared.\u00a0 He wrapped her in a firm embrace\u2014one she couldn\u2019t wriggle out of, despite all her attempts\u2014and he kissed her on her bony head.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were so worried about you,\u201d he said to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw your torn oxygen sack, and thought the worst,\u201d Rhianna added.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026that?\u201d Luna asked, sheepishly.\u00a0 \u201cI did that.\u00a0 I was nervous when I didn\u2019t see any of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe does have a deep desire to destroy anything she comes near,\u201d Zelda snarked, clearly a little less compassionate once she learned that her big baby sister was okay.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about the helmet?\u201d Michael asked.\u00a0 \u201cHow did you get out of that and the suit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were practicing bonks,\u201d Luna said with a smile on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think she finally met someone with a harder head than her,\u201d Maisie teased.<\/p>\n

They heard cooing and chirping across the way then, and they saw that Peanut and the dragon sat beside each other then, evidently showing that Luna was not the only friend that the iridescent-scaled creature had made.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, yes, they are a bit tiresome, but they\u2019re good people,\u201d Peanut said.\u00a0 \u201cWe go on these crazy adventures every year, and they always show how much they love us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeanut?\u201d Rhianna asked.\u00a0 \u201cCan you understand it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I can,\u201d the cat said.\u00a0 \u201cYou know cats and dragons are distant cousins.\u00a0 She just wanted to make sure all of us knew each other and that there weren\u2019t any tricks at play.\u00a0 And despite all her annoyances, she seems to really like the big, dumb dog.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey!\u201d Luna said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not dumb!\u00a0 Just quirky!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeanut,\u201d Michael said, interrupting the two animals before they could get into any further mischief or arguments.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s the dragon\u2019s name?\u201d<\/p>\n

The dragon chirped and purred, and Peanut looked at her and nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe doesn\u2019t have one yet\u2014or at least, not one she knows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna hummed.\u00a0 \u201cWell then, we\u2019ll have to give her one.\u00a0 And I think it\u2019s only fair that Luna is the one to pick the name.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Luna asked.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s the best!\u00a0 And I think I already know what I would call her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d Michael asked.<\/p>\n

Luna crouched low, as though she were about to pounce on someone.\u00a0 Her tail wagged from side to side, and she sprang up as she announced the name.<\/p>\n

\u201cFood!\u201d<\/p>\n

Zelda and Maisie let their heads tilt to the side, and Luna could see that the other members of her family didn\u2019t quite have the same enthusiasm for the name as she did.<\/p>\n

\u201cFood isn\u2019t exactly a name, baby girl,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u00a0 But it\u2019s my favorite!\u201d Luna cried.\u00a0 She grumbled and then looked back at the dragon, trying to see if she could get a better idea for it.<\/p>\n

The little dragon walked a little closer to the rest of the family, the taller humans sitting down to appear less imposing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, how about this one,\u201d Luna said.\u00a0 \u201cStinky.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStinky?\u201d Michael asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah!\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t smell her when we were next to that planet that we found her at, but when we got here and I shook my helmet off, she was really, really stinky!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh honey, that\u2019s not really a nice name for such a pretty dragon,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 She held out her hand, rubbing the creature\u2019s muzzle as it drew closer, demonstrating courage around its new friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you\u2019re always calling me stinky,\u201d Luna grumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s because that\u2019s us teasing you,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cBut your real name is really pretty, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cLuna means moon, which is where we just were when we started this adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dog\u2019s eyes went a little wide with excitement then, and she tilted her head to the side.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve got it then.\u00a0 I remember what Santa called her when she was flying through space.\u00a0 We\u2019ll call her Comet!\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael and Rhianna prepared to protest further, but when they heard the name that Luna chose, they had to admit that they liked the sound of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cComet,\u201d Rhianna said, and as the word left her lips, it seemed the dragon reacted to it, cooing as it stood up straighter.\u00a0 \u201cOh yeah?\u00a0 You\u2019re a fan of that one?\u201d<\/p>\n

As she was petting the dragon along her scaled neck, a noise sounded from the sleigh.\u00a0 They heard the telltale crackle of static coming through the space helmets.<\/p>\n

Michael gasped.\u00a0 \u201cMervius,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The man ran back to the sleigh then, while Rhianna ushered the rest slowly across the snow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we\u2019re all okay, Merv,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cBoth Luna and the dragon are safe.\u00a0 Well, not exactly in one piece though\u2014Luna\u2019s space suit has seen better days.\u00a0 I hope it didn\u2019t cost you and the other elves an arm and a leg to make it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing a little Christmas magic can\u2019t fix,\u201d Mervius said after he heard the good news.\u00a0 \u201cBut you will have to figure out some way to get everyone back to the moon.\u00a0 I know Luna is a bit of a giant\u2014is there any way you can squish her into the rover with the other animals?\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael hummed as he watched his family approach.\u00a0 \u201cI think we can figure something out.\u00a0 But we\u2019ve got no plan for the dragon.\u00a0 Her egg is gone, so she can\u2019t hide in there anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cIf she\u2019s a space dragon from space, she\u2019s likely got the means to survive in it.\u00a0 But if she doesn\u2019t have the egg, that means she won\u2019t be able to travel the way she did before.\u00a0 She\u2019s likely too big for the sleigh too, but you could use the tractor beam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t she just bloop us all to the moon?\u201d Luna wondered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the sleigh,\u201d Rhianna said, trying not to alert the dragon that her strange powers had been temporarily deactivated.\u00a0 \u201cI think we want to make sure we\u2019re being safe, so we\u2019ll do it this way for now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSpeaking of being safe,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cPeanut, Zelda, how would you two like to be in a special space suit?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, I would love that,\u201d Zelda said, wagging her tail and spinning around in excitement.<\/p>\n

Peanut scoffed at the pup.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re far too old to be this na\u00efve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, we\u2019re all going to be a little cramped, one way or another,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cYou can either be cramped with us, or you could all cram into the rover and hope that the air doesn\u2019t get sucked out of there with Luna in there, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

The cat swallowed away the discomfort in her throat.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll fly with you if you have room in your spacesuit,\u201d she declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I thought,\u201d Michael replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be flying with me, Zelda,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019ll be like a big snuggle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love snuggles,\u201d Zelda said.<\/p>\n

Though Peanut offered up more protests, once she was safely inside Michael\u2019s suit, she purposely squished up against him, not planning on moving higher, to stick her head through the hole of the helmet, already tightened to the top of the suit.\u00a0 Zelda was a little more eager to get her head as close to Rhianna\u2019s as possible.\u00a0 Though there were no means of having to stretch her limbs through the aperture there, she was able to see out through the helmet, and could not hold back her excitement when Michael and Rhianna climbed onto the sleigh, helping Maisie and Luna to settle into the rover.\u00a0 Maisie only grumbled a little bit while Luna found a comfortable position, curled up next to her.<\/p>\n

After they tied the ribbons over the rover there, Michael and Rhianna climbed up and over the lip of the front seat, a bit more difficult of a task with Tellest\u2019s gravity present.\u00a0 Once they were situated though, they took a deep breath, and Michael grabbed hold of the reins.<\/p>\n

Dasher materialized before the sleigh again, and slowly lifted the vessel from the snow as the two humans tied their ribbons into place around their waists, cinching them into bows.<\/p>\n

Once they were airborne, Michael looked back and saw Comet gently lifting into the air, though there did seem to be a bit of a struggle to stay aloft.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s probably more difficult on a planet with an atmosphere,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cIf she\u2019s a space dragon, maybe it\u2019s harder to fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019re going to offer her a bit of assistance,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 He tapped the yellow button then, and the tractor beam fired, but that time it was directed behind them.\u00a0 The golden glow encompassed the dragon, helping to lift her off the ground.\u00a0 \u201cThere you go, Comet,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll be able to fly the whole time as we head off to the moon again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dragon, finding new ease in moving about, happily glided behind the sleigh as it went higher and higher.\u00a0 As they left orbit, she practiced doing flips, and barrel rolls, chirping and chittering the whole time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, Mervius,\u201d Michael said when the only thing before them besides the black void of space was the moon.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re on our way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstood.\u00a0 I\u2019ll make some more adjustments to the tractor beam, but you should be able to make it the rest of the way without much manual work.\u00a0 We\u2019ll see you in a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat adjustments is he talking about?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWatch,\u201d Michael said with a smile.<\/p>\n

They could hear, then, as some mechanical sounds reported below them, and the golden glow of the tractor beam expanded into more of a cloud, allowing the iridescent dragon to move about a bit more.<\/p>\n

Rhianna smiled then as well, watching as Comet playfully experimented with more complex maneuvers, all without any worries of her drifting too far from the sleigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuna, look,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

The big dog twisted about in the rover, and watched as Comet rose up over the vehicle, sending happy noises toward her new friends.<\/p>\n

It did not take long for them to arrive back on the moon, and Michael and Rhianna were still enthralled by how easily they had travelled their little part of the galaxy.\u00a0 They did not land back on the spot where they had found the sleigh but found themselves in a different tractor beam altogether\u2014one that pulled them into a larger part of the workshop on the opposite side of the complex.<\/p>\n

Michael\u2019s suit bulged around the belly, and a little voice rose up from there.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s it, I\u2019ve had enough!\u00a0 I am the royalty of this family, and I demand to be treated as such!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re almost there, Peanut,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cOnce I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll be able to breathe, I\u2019ll let you out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can barely breathe now!\u201d she grumbled.<\/p>\n

The sleigh landed with a thump, and the dragon flew into the hangar, skidding on the ground as both tractor beams disengaged.\u00a0 Comet lost her footing and rolled over on her wings and thudded into the back of the vehicle.\u00a0 Her head popped up over the back of the sleigh then, and Luna panted and smiled while the dragon giggled.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the family, a pneumatic door opened with a mechanical whirr, and they saw a wiry elf with white hair appear there.<\/p>\n

\u201cMervius?\u201d Michael ventured.<\/p>\n

\u201cPleased to meet you at last,\u201d the elf said.\u00a0 He tilted his head back, attempting to help slide his half-circle glasses back up his angular nose.<\/p>\n

Michael climbed out of the sleigh and stepped across the room in his clunky space suit, but eventually extended his hand to their communications expert.\u00a0 Before the gesture could be completed though, Peanut pushed with all her might, and popped the buttons on the suit, pouncing through the material and landing on the ground below.<\/p>\n

Mervius\u2019s eyes had gone wide, but Michael finally concluded the greeting, grabbing the elf\u2019s hand and giving it a quick shake.\u00a0 \u201cJust another day in the DeAngelo family,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was told of all your exploits and hijinks,\u201d the elf said.\u00a0 \u201cSomehow, I still was not quite prepared.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to make sure my calculations are in better order the next time we work together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna popped her helmet off, and pushed Zelda back down into her suit, opening the buttons there so she could hop out too.\u00a0 When Zelda was on the ground, she hurried back into the sleigh, and climbed onto the seat so that she could watch when Rhianna untied the ribbon from the rover.\u00a0 Luna hopped out of the secondary vehicle when the glass dome slid away, and she clambered up and over the side of the sleigh, skittering on the floor after she jumped down.<\/p>\n

\u201cStinky!\u201d she cried when she saw the dragon.<\/p>\n

The dragon pounced forward with a frisky attitude, but Luna hopped out of the way.\u00a0 And despite the fact that the dog was only a quarter the size of the dragon, she managed to knock Comet off her feet and to her back, the beautiful creature spinning about as she chirped and cooed.<\/p>\n

Michael and Rhianna watched while the other animals\u2014even Peanut\u2014drew close to the dragon and joined in on the fun as well.\u00a0 Mervius came closer, standing beside the husband and wife and could not hide his excitement in sharing what he found out about Comet.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems she\u2019s a chronodragon,\u201d he explained.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re incredibly rare, and they have the ability to travel across not just great stretches of the universe, but also through time.\u00a0 She\u2019s too young to have mastered her powers just yet, so it seems she\u2019s only able to teleport for now.\u00a0 And we\u2019ll fashion something that will make sure she always stays on our radar and doesn\u2019t get into too much trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s just a baby,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cSurely we ought to be able to help her find her way home, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019ve already done your part in the beginning of her journey,\u201d Mervius said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd while I don\u2019t doubt that you\u2019ll see her again, I think we ought to take it from here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cBut we\u2019re the ones who found her.\u00a0 Shouldn\u2019t we be around for her?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mervius draped his hands on each of their shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cI know you want to aid her, but there\u2019s a bigger problem than you would be able to help with, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what is it?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer home planet doesn\u2019t exist yet,\u201d Mervius revealed.\u00a0 \u201cWe can\u2019t exactly get her home if we don\u2019t know where it is\u2014but we do know that she\u2019s been displaced by millions of years.\u00a0 Until she can master her time travel skills, I\u2019m afraid we may be forced to wait.\u00a0 But she\u2019ll have a home here in the meantime, and you\u2019ll be able to see her every Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna\u2019s eyebrows curled into a look of sadness.\u00a0 \u201cIs she going to be okay without her family?\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael grabbed his wife around the shoulder and pulled her in tight.\u00a0 \u201cWe know firsthand that a family is whatever you make of it, as long as there is love and laughter, and we all look out for one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

Together, they looked at their family, the three dogs and the cat all playing with one another, and their new friend, Comet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for looking out for her, Merv,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cSomething makes me feel like she is going to be a handful.\u201d\u00a0 Luna came over and nearly bowled Michael over then, jumping up and stretching, with a big smile on her face.\u00a0 \u201cI feel like we have enough experience to give our expert opinion on the matter,\u201d Michael added.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like it,\u201d the elf said with a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cWell then, shall we prepare for the festivities?\u00a0 You\u2019ve accomplished a great feat today, and we celebrate those with great feasts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFeast!\u201d Maisie said, skittering across the metal floor toward the elf, wagging her tail the whole way.<\/p>\n

\u201cHa!\u201d Rhianna enunciated.\u00a0 \u201cIf that tail wagged any faster, you\u2019d learn to fly too, little one!\u201d<\/p>\n

The rest of the family laughed at the thought.\u00a0 While they all remained merry, Michael waved Mervius over to the sleigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to know,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cWhat does the black button do?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mervius tilted his head, but as Michael pointed toward the interior with his chin, the elf nodded.\u00a0 \u201cOh, that.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned in and smacked his palm against it.<\/p>\n

Michael was ready to hop back, but instead, a door slid away from the center console of the sleigh, just below the buttons, and out popped a steaming mug of hot cocoa.\u00a0 Marshmallows swirled around it, and a dome not unlike the one that covered the rover was present there.\u00a0 A festive little pop went off inside the mug\u2019s snow globe, as one of the marshmallows exploded into a sort of tasty confetti that fluttered back down to the hot chocolate.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then\u2026\u201d Mervius said, turning toward Michael again.\u00a0 \u201cHere.\u201d\u00a0 He flicked a flap on Michael\u2019s suit, revealing a straw that could have been used to sip the hot cocoa while you were out and about in space.\u00a0 \u201cSorry we didn\u2019t get to explain that one.\u00a0 There just wasn\u2019t enough time to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always enough time for hot cocoa!\u201d Michael said, exasperated.<\/p>\n

Mervius leaned into the sleigh, and retrieved the beverage for Michael, handing it to him a second later.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right then, to the feasting hall!\u201d Mervius said, while Michael fumbled behind him with the straw in his suit.<\/p>\n

Together, the DeAngelo family, and their new dragon friend followed the elf into the workshop, eager to close out their adventure with delicious food, and good discussions about their hopes for the holidays, and the year beyond.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Michael slid the door open then, he knew that everyone who entered the house did so with slightly rounder bellies than when they had last exited it.\u00a0 The animals made their way in first, from eldest to youngest, and when Rhianna reached the door, she laid her head on her husband\u2019s shoulder, failing to stifle a large yawn that fought its way past her lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is it that we\u2019re always so tired when we get back from our times with Santa?\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael chortled.\u00a0 \u201cWe didn\u2019t used to.\u00a0 That\u2019s just what happens when you get older.\u00a0 And the adventures that Santa sends us on are always insane.\u00a0 Insanity takes its toll.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe that\u2019s why I feel so worn down,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cI live with you<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right, and that\u2019s what keeps me young!\u201d\u00a0 He stood there staring at her, with a smile on his face for a moment, but then, by the power of suggestion or otherwise, he had to yawn then as well.<\/p>\n

She leaned close and kissed him on the cheek, and then the pair of them followed their fuzzy babies inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, how did you like your first Tellest Christmas, Luna?\u201d Michael asked.<\/p>\n

Luna spun around, excitement still aglow in her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cIt was the best!\u00a0 I love making new friends, and it was nice to meet one who was bigger than me for a change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd thank you so much for being so kind and sweet and gentle with Comet.\u00a0 She really needed that, and we\u2019re so proud of you for being such a loving sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how about everybody else?\u201d Michael asked.\u00a0 \u201cDid we all have a good time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI like going on any trip that doesn\u2019t end up at the vet,\u201d Zelda said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I like any occasion that puts me in the same general vicinity as fiskeblugen,\u201d Peanut said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about you, Maisie?\u201d Rhianna wondered.<\/p>\n

She lay on the couch, her head resting on her hands.\u00a0 \u201cWell\u2026 To be honest, I felt sort of underutilized this year.\u00a0 But I did get to chomp on a big wheel of cheese at Santa\u2019s workshop, so I think it all worked out.\u201d\u00a0 By that point her head was up again, and her tail was wagging at the thought of the yummy meal in which she had partaken.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, the fun\u2019s not over yet,\u201d Michael said.\u00a0 \u201cLuna, every year when we come back, whether it\u2019s on Christmas Eve, or Christmas morning, Santa finds a way to sneak us some very special presents.\u00a0 And it looks like he already beat us here.\u00a0 Look under the tree.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPresents!\u201d Luna yelled, flinging herself toward the little tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, wait!\u201d Rhianna yelled.\u00a0 \u201cYou just open your own!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A few minutes later, all of the DeAngelo family members sat content with their Christmas presents.<\/p>\n

Peanut sat perched on the stairs with a small tray of tablets that had been described as freeze-dried fiskeblugen\u2014food like astronauts eat!\u00a0 And it wouldn\u2019t stink up the house as she ate them.<\/p>\n

All three dogs received toys that were shaped like dragons, with Zelda receiving a red one, Maisie receiving a blue one, and Luna receiving one that was almost appearing to shine in silver and gold.\u00a0 The two older dogs squeaked away at their toys, but Luna just cuddled up next to hers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very cute that she\u2019s being so protective of her toy,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are we thinking?\u201d Michael asked.\u00a0 \u201cDoes it last three days before she tears it apart?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking a very conservative two,\u201d Rhianna said.<\/p>\n

Michael chuckled, but then he turned his attention back to his present, a brand-new hot cocoa mug, which was filled to the brim with the steaming beverage.\u00a0 On the table, he had a supply that would last them well into the winter.<\/p>\n

Rhianna stood up then, as all the animals had cleared a path to the Christmas tree then.\u00a0 She held up the gift that had been left for her, a gorgeous ornamental silver and gold dragon that was wrapped around a crystal\u2014perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere we go,\u201d Rhianna said.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s the perfect place for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she moved to head back to the couch, she realized that she kicked another small box, that was wrapped a bit differently than the presents that Santa had sent their way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this one that you wrapped?\u201d Rhianna asked.<\/p>\n

Michael shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI have a habit of giving you all your Christmas presents early, or buying you presents that aren\u2019t out yet.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know who that\u2019s from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhianna bent low and picked up the box, noting that it wasn\u2019t especially heavy.\u00a0 She tore into it, first noticing the little card that had been included, but soon after spotting the little white discs that sat within the box.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what is it?\u201d Michael asked.<\/p>\n

Rhianna looked at the card then, and finally understood what had been sent their way.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s from Mervius,\u201d she said.\u00a0 She plucked out one of the discs and held it up for Michael to see.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re little tracking devices so we don\u2019t have to worry about not being able to find our babies, even if a dragon comes along and bloops them across the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A huge thank you to Leo Borazio and Wern Szuen Lee for helping us with our bookmarks this year, just like last year.\u00a0 Once again they did an awesome job with everything!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every year, we post a personalized Christmas story here on Tellest.\u00a0 You can see all the ones from the past several years by going to the DeAngelo Christmas Archive.\u00a0 Or you can just jump to the latest story, Christmas Comet, below (although you will benefit from reading the older stories first).   Christmas Comet A […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30932,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[463,145,462,146],"tags":[695,3246,2011,1466,221,3245],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Featured-Christmas-2022.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1UVey-82R","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30929"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30929"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30929\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34527,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30929\/revisions\/34527"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}