Johnathan's Memories of the Holidays

[Johnathan Logan]

On the outskirts of Proper, Johnathan Logan would collapse under a tree.  The Galahad was keeping himself quite busy during his absence from general Nexus apperances.  During his free time he had taken up helping the various entities within Proper doing odd jobs.  Delivering packages, arbitrating disputes among the vendors in the Bazaar, and generally keeping out of the way.  But now, after working himself near to "death" as one can get in the Nexus, he felt he was due for a nice relaxing nap... when a twitter came from the branches above him.

"Do you really have such time to be loafing about, Johnathan?" Came the accent from the peregrine falcon that was often seen near John, often in an arguement of some kind, or as his messanger.

"Falconius..." he would begin, tiredly, "I think for the workouts you had me going under between my various jobs I've been trying to hold down, I think I deserve an hour or two other than the five hours of sleep you allow me per Nexal day to just unwind... besides..." his voice grew soft, abit of pain in it, "It's Christmas time, back home."

The falcon nodded weakly and took to wing, gliding down slightly to rest opon John's shoulder. "Yes.. according to my internal chronometer it would be December 24th in America right now."  The raptor himself was not quite from John's world, but when he had been assigned as his mentor and companion, he took the time to reset himself to match the time of John's home country and universe.  "It makes you wonder, doesn't it?  Just what is the rest of our team doing right now?"

Johnathan would glance upward into the sky, which was slowly turning a tender shade of purple with night beginning to fall.  "Depends on if we were celebrating at my father's house or at the Castle.  I remember that Ying would allow me to set multi-colored lights around the main hall and rails of the staircases leading to the second floor, a large Christmas tree in the center." Oculars of brown would close themselves and it was like a physical weight was lifted from his shoulders.  "A big tree, which I would ask you to wrap the lights and garland for to make life easyer.  Morgan of course would be causing no end of ruccus playing old Christmas music... including her bad renditions of Grandma Got Run Over by a Reigndeer -"

"This coming from the man who tended to serenade us with Dominic the Itallian Christmas Donkey?" Falconius cut in, knowing it was one of Johnathan's favorite songs for the season.

"Hey, Jiggity Jig..." He began to sing playfully, and earned a nip in the ear. "Hey!  Just teasing!"

"Yes, I know."  Falconius fluffed himself slightly, and settled down. "But yes, the music was always key to the season."

Johnathan would nod in return and go back to his memories, as if reliving them.  "Anthony would take the time to make sure everyone's orniments got onto the tree.  From Dimitri's football helmets and such..." for a moment he'd bite his lip. "...Jana's home made snowflakes... Morgan's very bad Pipecleaners with beads made into reindeer and candy canes..."

Falconius nodded, his memorybanks recalling these events. "...And you with your favorite figurines and ships to hang from the lights."

"And of course the cookies!  One coud never forget the cookies.  We'd all make such a mess in the kitchen of the castle, covering it in flower from all our work."

"I swear one year we should have given you a cow." Falconius mused.  With all the cookies that the team would make, it was a pain to even find all the milk for them to consume with them.

Johnathan's mind shifted track.  "At Grandmom's house... she'd make sure that everyone placed orniments on the tree, the music going in the background, something Christmasy on the Television... mmmm and pumpkin pie."  He was sliding deeper into his memories, pulling his jean jacket around him as if it were a warm blanket. "And the stockings on the front door that we never used.  Grandma's stocking looked like a pair of old-style bloomers, and Dad with his oversized boot-looking stocking."

"And of course your grandfather dressing up as Santa Clause..."

"...and he'd attend the local Church's Christmas Pageant, and at the end during the dinner he'd sit up on stage and give the children a small gift of some kind, acting as "Santa's Helper" for the church." John finished the thought, a tear coming to his eye as he remembered.  "He was the embodiment of the season, giving of himself for the good of the children of the community.  He was a symbol for them, it was unfortunate that his declining health stopped him from continuing.  But he always laughed and said he had Santa on speed dial if I ever got out of hand." He'd laugh abit, pulling his jacket tighter around himself.

"Yes Johnathan..." The bird of prey puffed his feathers and started preening slightly... and from out of nowhere, but if anyone was really close they could tell it was coming from somewhere inside the falcon, "Silent Night" would begin to play.  John moved side to side slightly, as he always did when music he could feel would play.  "Do you ever think we'll enjoy those times again, Falconius?"

Falconius would consider this for a moment, climbing to sit opon Johnathan's shoulder.  "If there is one thing I believe I understand about the Nexus in our time here... it's that if you desire it enough, you'll find a way to make it happen for yourself."

Johnathan would nod, and close his eyes, resting them.  "It would be nice to be home again.  To see my grandparents again.  To see fresh snow on the ground, and curl up in bed listening to A Christmas Story on the TV as I sleep..." He almost sounded as if he were about to fall asleep, but a gentle squeeze of Falconius' talons kept him awake.  "Perhaps you should talk to your friends, Johnathan... maybe some of them might help you at least enjoy the memory of the day, as they are your friends."

Johnathan nodded, and sat up some, looking back toward Proper. "Perhaps..."