Holidays 2017: Zat you, Santa Claus?

[Blackwell]

"Oh, they don't scare me at the moment, James, but thank you for the kind gesture," Josian said as she looked over at the alligators. "I am rather surprised they are here amongst everyone this evening. They must be very well behaved."

"I do not think I want to put them to that test," Blackwell replied as he looked back at the creatures and their owner. "Rubeus would be quite taken with them. He's the game keeper at that school we visited in Scotland, James. Not sure if you met him. About as tall as a basketball player and big as a bear. Long dark beard. Has a three-headed dog with him much of the time."

Josian looked over at Jasper Hook and noticed Blackwell wince a bit as she did. "Oh, he's that brother, Alastair. The one who was less than kind to James here."

"Yes, but I am sure everyone will be on their best behavior this holiday season. See, even the Asgardian god of lies and trickery is with us breaking bread this Yule. Wonders never cease!"

Blackwell moved James to the side for a moment. "Is your brother causing you any trouble, my friend?"

[Captain James Hook]

                    James Hook glanced at the Sewer King and scowled again. ''The man over there said I kept distressing him. He distresses me with his stuttering, gestures, alligators, etc. Sewer King! I'm not certain how well behaved his alligators are. He's not releasing them.''

          James turned to Blackwell. He placed his hook under his face. ''I thought you mentioned Rubeus. I don't remember coming across him. Maybe I did. I'm not certain.''

         James found himself moved to the side.  ''My older brother did refer to me as the baby in the Hook family. Other than that, he did behave himself for the most part. Jasper did ask about Mistress Selene.'' 

               That was when James saw Isabella. He scowled as he remembered her kissing him earlier. He faced Blackwell again. ''Do you see that woman over there? Isabella Dragotti? She kissed me to anger her spouse.''

                 James nodded at Craig. ''That man over there. Craig Dragotti? I'm shocked he didn't divorce her for that.''

                  Eyes widened for a few moments. He turned to Sasha as the latter trembled. He remembered what he said about parents not mistreating children.''Oh! That masked fellow doesn't seem happy about the Sewer King having children in a sewer.'' James glanced at Harley. ''That lady mentioned a man dressed as a bat. Apparently the Sewer King isn't fond of him.'' 

[Sewer King]

                       The Sewer King turned to Sasha after the latter mentioned no parent mistreating children. He smiled near him. ''I never mistreated my children,'' he said. The Sewer King never mentioned placing children in rooms filled with light if they talked during lessons. Then there were the times he struck the ground with a staff near the children. Just to keep them dreading him. There was also forcing the children to go without food if they angered him.

                   A scowl replaced the Sewer King's smile after James said he was a form of wildlife. He almost pointed and said how the latter distressed him. He faced Harley. ''Let's get rid of all enemies. I'll be more than happy to aid you as we get rid of your enemies. Ohhh. Yes. Yes.'' 

[Craig Dragotti]

                 Craig's eyes were wide with interest after Sasha told the Sewer King off for mistreating children. *I forgot about Sasha's past. How his father disfigured him for resembling his deceased mother. Now I wonder if Sasha will actually attack the Sewer King.* That was when a familiar wyvern flew into the room. His eyes widened for a different reason.

               ''Cicero!'' He smiled after the wyvern flew into his arms. ''You found me!'' Craig frowned. ''Do you know where Mrs. Brown and Pixie are?'' He continued to frown the minute Cicero whimpered.

          ''I'm certain Mrs. Brown and Pixie are somewhere safe.'' He smiled again. He cuddled Cicero. That was when he saw the alligators. His scowl returned. *The alligators aren't going to eat Cicero!* he thought.

               Craig recognized Blackwell and approached him. He saw Josian and nodded near her. ''Blackwell, I thought I recognized you,'' he said. He saw James and remembered Isabella kissing him. His body tensed. He began to nod another time.

            ''I understand Selene could still be manipulating my wife. Her kissing you wasn't your fault,'' Craig said. His eyes settled on Cicero before he smiled again. ''This is Cicero. My pet wyvern.'' He viewed Cicero stretching his long neck and looking curious.

           Craig tilted his head to one side after Cicero glanced at the Sewer King's alligators. He heard the latter as he whimpered again. ''I'll protect you from the alligators,'' he informed Cicero. His smile remained. 

                Craig focused on Blackwell and Josian. He glanced at Sasha. ''See that ticked off masked guy over there? That's Sasha. He was my hit man. Now I'm wondering if he'll attack the Sewer King for hurting children in a sewer.''

[Blackwell]

Trying to keep everyone and everything straight was going to be a challenge for Alastair as he glanced past his close companions toward Isabella Dragotti. "Selene? I forgot you still have her under the care of the X-Men," he replied as he looked then toward Sasha and Alison and back to Craig and Cicero. "Ah yes! Rubeus gave me a packet of nibbles for Cicero. He said Shalandra gives these to the wyverns she is caring for in the Mystic Council aviary," he added as he got out a small box and handed it to Craig.

Alastair could feel Josian's eyes glaring at him. He had neglected to inform her about Selene, and he had no clue about these other rogues and rapscallions in the room. He'd get grilled about all that later.

"And you might not have seen Rubeus at Buckland's, James. He may come here today, but I'm not certain," he replied to his friend. "Oh! Now I remember. Mr. Dragotti, Mrs. Brown is helping the cook in the kitchen with the holiday goodies. Pixie is helping prepare for the wedding taking place later. I saw her and some boy with many eyes setting up decorations in the arboretum."

 

[Craig Dragotti]

                    Craig continued to smile after Blackwell gave him a packet of nibbles for Cicero. ''Thanks,'' he said. He opened the box. Craig's smile remained as Cicero ate. He heard what Blackwell said about Mrs. Brown and Pixie. He nodded.

                     ''I'm looking forward to seeing which holiday goodies Mrs. Brown appears with. That's good to hear about Pixie helping with the wedding. A boy with many eyes? I don't know if I came across him.''

[Sasha Sadovsky]

                     Sasha didn't know what offended him the most. One smile from the Sewer King or the obvious lie. ''You did something to those children! Batman wouldn't have removed them from the sewer if you cared for them,'' he said. Sasha viewed the Sewer King turning to him. He trembled again as the latter's smile returned.

                     Sasha didn't wish to imagine how the sewer children suffered. He imagined them cowering. Mental images of their tears appeared. He also imagined bruises on their arms. 

                      After trembling again, Sasha ran to the Sewer King. He seized the latter's red cape and lifted him. He saw the latter's wide eye and open mouth. ''Why were you happy about mistreating children? They were helpless. They depended on you. What kind of father are you??''



                   


                 

[Sewer King]

            *I had to poke the Russian bear!* the Sewer King thought with wide eyes. He heard Sasha's words. He just wasn't certain how to reply without provoking him again. The Sewer King remembered Batman seizing him the exact same way some time ago. He also remembered how Batman was prepared to end his life. All because the Sewer King mistreated children.

            What really filled him with anxiety was the fact that Sasha's mask concealed his features. Sasha's scowl might have been terrifying. Then again, the Sewer King had no idea about Sasha's disfigured features. 

            Tears formed in the Sewer King's eyes. His body trembled.


 

[Captain James Hook]

                       James Hook's eyes widened after he saw a wyvern. He turned to Blackwell and Josian. ''I remember seeing dragons in Neverland. The sudden arrival of the wyvern shocked me,'' he said. His eyes remained wide as he viewed Craig cuddling it. He heard the latter while he introduced the wyvern as Cicero. He heard Blackwell after the latter mentioned him never coming across Rubeus.

                     A smile formed. ''I'm certain Rubeus will arrive,'' he said to Blackwell. He never forgot about his older brother. James tried not to glance at him. *I won't even mention him.* He viewed Sasha lifting a distressed Sewer King by the front of a cape.

                     That was when James was sheepish. ''I don't wish to imagine what that masked fellow will do to me if he finds out about me capturing children and forcing them to walk the plank!'' he informed Josian and Blackwell. He began to glance at his hook. He smiled again. ''Then again, I shouldn't have to worry about him. I'm good with a sword and my hook!''

                   James watched as tears ran down the distressed Sewer King's face. He heard the Sewer King while he sobbed. He smiled again. ''That man is about to be injured. This should be interesting.'' He heard the Sewer King as he shrieked and sobbed at the same time. 

               

                       

[Sewer King]

                    The Sewer King continued to shriek and sob. He struggled as Sasha refused to release his cape. Memories of Batman almost wounding him returned. Batman's scowl. Batman almost hesitating to spare the Sewer King for how he mistreated his children. The memories ended.

                 Another memory formed. A memory of Frog. One of the Sewer King's children. 

                       The Sewer King imagined Frog appearing and trembling near him. He also imagined the boy's wide eyes. Frog possibly being adopted by the X-Men and having fun. The horror! He turned to Sasha. Additional tears ran down the Sewer King's face. 

                     The Sewer King glanced at his alligators. He heard them as they sounded distressed. ''My pretties are distressed with me,'' he said to Sasha. He sobbed and shrieked again after Sasha lifted him higher.


   

[Dazzler]

Alison dropped her drink as she saw Sasha face off with Sewer King. "This is not going to end well," she said under breath as she ran over to Sasha. "I know why you are upset. I don't blame you," she said as she put her hand on Sasha's arm. "Anyone who hurts kids is a no-go in my book. But I don't want you becoming a snack for his pets there, Sasha. On the count of three, let's go to neutral corners, OK? One. Two..."

"Enough with the fancy shmancy nonsense!" Harley yelped as she came over and slammed her high heeled boot into Sasha's foot. "Drop him, before we drop you!"

There was a roar as Beast had had enough. "Please. Everyone. We are supposed to be engaging in holiday merriment. Sasha, I am sorry Sewer King upset you so. Sewer King, perhaps Harley is right. A holiday gathering more to your group's liking might be a preferable thing?"

"Beasty Boy means he wants us to scram," Harley said as she looked at Alison and Sasha. "No goody-goodies allowed this time. What do you say, Arkady? Let's get this party on the road to the big bright city! We can go bat hunting! Maybe go get some swag at a party in the Meatpacking District?"

"Thank God," Alison said as she waited for Sasha to release the Sewer King. "Maybe then we can have a quiet evening like we all wanted in the first place."   

[Sasha Sadovsky]

The Sewer King's tears didn't seem to bother Sasha. Same with the other man always shrieking and sobbing. Sasha heard Alison's voice. *Hm?* A wide-eyed expression replaced the one of rage. He turned to her.

''This man caused children to suffer,'' Sasha said to Alison. He cried out after Harley stomped on his foot. He dropped the Sewer King and winced.

[Omega Red]

                Omega Red's eyes widened after Sasha lifted the distressed Sewer King earlier. The latter's strength managed to impress him.  His eyes remained wide the minute Harley stomped on Sasha's foot. He heard Harley as the latter mentioned going to the big bright city. Omega Red nodded. ''Good idea, Harley.''

[Sewer King]

                  The Sewer King gasped after Harley stomped on Sasha's foot. He winced the minute he was dropped. He heard Harley after she mentioned going to a big bright city and bat hunting. The Sewer King nodded at Harley. Tears continued to stream down his face. He continued to sob. He remained on his knees, but not his hands.

[Harley]

"Some holiday party this is!" Harley huffed as she watched Sasha and Alison very closely. "I don't trust you two. Not one bit!"

"I suggest you leave. Now," a low and growling female voice said as Harley looked toward Aerfen DalCais. The woman's eyes were some weird glassy blue-green color, and she had some flickering lights jumping off the tips of her fingers. "You disgrace the Yule season. There are some here who hold more reverence..."

"You I know about. Mystical loony kazoony," Harley said as she twirled one finger near her temple in the universal sign for "nutty as a fruitcake." Harley turned toward the open door and smiled. She motioned for all her friends to follow her. "Time to jet, kiddos. We have celebrating of our own to do!" Harley grabbed a bottle of champagne from the buffet bar area before walking out the door and almost slamming into Mrs. Brown with a big plate of chocolate chip cookies. "We'll take those, too! Sewer King, how do your babies like to travel?"