----

It was almost 7PM, and the occupants of the Alscher house were busy preparing for the party. Armin was downstairs, wearing an eye-catching suit consisting of a black jacket, trousers and boots with a bright red undershirt. He was attempting to brush his hair into a semblance of order. Rex was ready, dressed in a simple black and white suit with a blue tie.

'You have all the presents?' he said.

'Yes, all in the car. Well, except yours, Dianne's and Esme's.'

{Dianne was getting ready as well, walking out of the bath in her high cut black dress with blue leggings. She puts on a necklace of gold and emeralds, grabs her heels, coat, and purse, and heads downstairs.}

Dianne: "I'm ready when you are. Where's Esme?"

'She's just over here,' said Rex, and as if on cue, Esme came padding out to the front hall. Someone had put a red bowtie on her.

Armin followed her out, looking Dianne over. 'You look great as always. All of you do,' he said warmly.

Dianne: "Awww, thanks. You look very handsome as well. And Esme looks adorable in that bowtie."

{Sitting on the couch, she puts her heels on.}

'Rex found that somewhere. It's about the only thing she /can/ wear.'

Both dressed and ready, Armin and Rex waited by the front door for Dianne.

{Putting her coat on and scooping up Esme, Dianne heads to the door.}

Dianne: "Ok, let's go."

They headed out into the frosty night. It had begun to snow, a soft and silent flurry whipping around in the light of the streetlamps. Esme gazed up at it in wonder.

Armin climbed into the front seat, while Rex let himself into the back.

{Dianne sat in the passenger's seat, with Esme on her lap.}

Dianne: "Looks like it'll be a white Christmas after all. But, good luck getting me downstairs tomorrow.}

'Eh... maybe you can have breakfast in bed tomorrow. It /is/ a special occasion.'

Armin headed off towards the palace, passing numerous festive decorations on the trees and peoples' houses.

{Dianne chuckles, watching the decorations go by.}

Dianne: "The city sure is pretty this time of year."

'People take the holiday season seriously around here. It's a big tradition. They seem to care about it much more than the citizens of Shacklestone did.'

Dianne: "Yeah, Shacklestone never looked this nice. I mean, yeah, we all knew it was a rat infested sludge gutter but it wouldn't have hurt to make it look a little nicer once a year, right?"

'I don't know. Maybe everyone thought it wasn't worth the effort. I didn't celebrate most years anyway. Not much to celebrate, back then.'
.
The palace came into view, with huge decorated trees in the courtyard and bright lights emanating from within.

Dianne: "That's true. But, lots to celebrate now."

{Dianne looks up at the palace, taking in the decorations and lights.}

Dianne: "Festive."

Armin drove up towards the palace, getting as close as possible and stopping the car. The front doors were open, coloured light spilling out. Four guards flanked the entryway, looking bored but reasonably attentive.
.
Armin jumped out and walked around to the back. Their presents for everyone had been placed into two large bags to make it easy to carry them inside. He grabbed one bag, asked Rex to grab the other, and they started to walk up to the palace.

{With Esme in hand, she follows them up, keeping an eye out for anyone they knew.}

Armin eagerly led the way into the allotted room. When they got there, it seemed things were slightly different this year.
.
The room was extravagantly decorated with multiple trees and colourful ornaments hanging from the ceiling; groups of guests were chatting around the trees. There was a huge trestle table laden with finger food and drinks, some alcoholic. There was a section of slightly raised floor made of smooth polished wood, and at the side of it, a band was playing. It looked like a dance floor. The room had been styled as a grand ball.

{Dianne looks around, smiling at the festive air.}

Dianne: "How about that. They put a lot more effort into it this year."

{Jerry was by the food and drink, talking to some of Fred's associates. He seemed to be enjoying himself. Pythia was in the corner, talking lowly to the Grand Seer of Symponia. She seemed less happy, talking to her former boss.}

Armin caught sight of the Grand Seer and half grimaced. 'Why is she here? She's insane, she attacked you with light magic for no reason.'
.
Ryder was leaning against a wall, chatting casually with Owel. Every now and again, he'd glance at Pythia with concern. Ivy was flirting with some guy, trying to convince him to go dance with her.

{Dianne caught sight of her and made a similar face.}

Dianne: Yeah, that really hurt...And she's spoiling Pythia's time. Come on, let's go save her."

{Dianne starts walking for the pair.}

Armin followed her. Walking over purposefully, he greeted Pythia with cheer, interrupting the Seer in the middle of her talking.
.
'Hey, Pythia. How's it going?'

Seer: "If you come back, think abo-"

{When Armin cut her off, she looked up at the pair, looking annoyed and disgusted. Pythia, on the other hand, looked delighted to see them.}

Pythia: "Armin, Dianne, and Esme! Glad you could make it!"

Dianne: "Yeah, we've been looking forward to this.

Seer: "Excuse me, we were discussing business before you rudely interrupted!"

Dianne: "Well, Pythia's here to enjoy herself, not discuss business sooo...get lost."

'And I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Pythia's not interested in coming back to your stupid order,' Armin added. 'She's doing more than fine on her own.'
.
He stared the Seer down calmly, but with a hint of amusement. He rather enjoyed annoying her.

Pythia: "I'm not. How many times do I need to tell you no?"

Seer: "Pythia, you're making-"

Dianne: "Hey, she said no. Beat it."

{Wrapping her arm around Pythia, Dianne starts leading her away, leaving the seer to glower at Armin.}

Armin smiled at the Seer, but it wasn't a nice smile. It bared his fangs in a quiet warning - a warning to not only leave Pythia alone, but also to never harm Dianne again. He then turned and started to walk after the two dragons.

{The seer reluctantly lets them walk off. Dianne smiles at Pythia, walking with her over to the food.}

Pythia: "Thanks for rescuing me. She was..really persistent and grating... I just want to relax."

Dianne: "Of course, you deserve a break."

'If she tries to bother you again, we'll see if we can have her kicked out,' said Armin.
.
Reaching the food, he found a bowl of chicken drumsticks and offered Esme one. He then poured himself a glass of red wine.

Pythia: "Frederick already threatened her with that, if she tried to make any trouble."

{Dianne gathered a plate of food, then looked towards the dance floor.}

Dianne: "Hey, Armin. Let's go dancing in a bit."

Armin half choked on his wine at this sudden suggestion. 'What, me? I told you before, I don't dance,' he said, gingerly taking another sip.

Dianne: "Oh, come on, Armin, I haven't danced in years and now that I have a boyfriend, you won't even consider it?"

Pythia: "Yeah, Armin, dance with your girlfriend. Don't be a square."

{She says mischievously.}

'Fine, but you can't get angry with me if I tread on your feet,' Armin said in a tone of resignation. 'Which, actually, I might be tempted to do on purpose...'

Pythia: "Well, that's not ver gentlemen like..."

Dianne: "Relax, Armin, I'll lead. It's not going to be bad."

'If you say so....'
.
Just then, another familiar figure appeared; Frederick. He was wearing a smart white shirt with gold buttons, and his hair was tied back in a ponytail.
.
'Ah, good evening to you both.'

Pythia: "Hello, Frederick. Having a good time, I hope?"

Dianne: "Hey, Frederick. So, what's up with the dress code?"

'Nothing really. Some of my people brought up the idea of having a ball this year. They asked me to suggest it to the king. I hope the dress code isn't inconveniencing anyone.'
.
'I don't like wearing this stuff, but it's not so bad,' said Armin.

Dianne: "No, it's fine. I just thought maybe some important delegates would be attending or something."

'No, nothing to worry about. Since we're here, I may as well give you these now.' He then proceeded to hand Dianne and Armin a wrapped present each. They were of similar shape and size, about as big as cereal boxes. 'I'd advise locking them up in your car once you open them.'

{Dianne accepts the gift, looking it over curiously.}

Dianne: "Do I open it now, or do I wait until tomorrow?"

'Well, I'm opening mine now. I'm not waiting until tomorrow,' said Armin, and began to eagerly tear off the wrapping paper. Fred made no move to stop him.
.
Just then, Ryder came jogging over, with a small present. 'Oh, hey, Pythia,' he greeted her. 'I got you something. It was kind of an impulse buy but I hope it's OK.'

{Shrugging, Dianne opens the package.}

Pythia: "Oh, that's kind of you, Ryder. Of course it's ok."

{Pythia opens her present as well.}

With the paper torn off, Dianne would find herself holding a plain cardboard box. Opening it would reveal two gold rings, each set with a brilliant green gem.
.
'Those are Thoughtstone rings,' said Fred. 'Very rare magical item. No one seems to know how to make them anymore. I got them because I know you like old treasures. While they do have a practical purpose, you don't need to use them.'
.
Pythia's gift was a small glass pot with a little round cactus inside.

{Dianne looked at the rings with wonder, holding one up to the light.}

Dianne: "They're wonderful, Frederick, thank you. How did you get these?"

{Pythia smiles at the plump little cacti.}

Pythia: "It's adorable, Ryder. Thank you so much!"

'I obtained them from the island Owel came from. Her 'husband's' family possessed a vast hoard of treasures. While I was trying to think of a suitable gift for you, Owel mentioned that she'd seen these rings. I suspected what they were, so I travelled to the island and... confiscated them.'

Ryder smiled, rubbing the back of his head. 'Aw, thanks. I saw those big glass tanks and stuff in your room, your old room back at the temple, and kinda just guessed you'd like a plant.'

{Dianne blinks in surprise at the story, then smiles and laughs.}

Dianne: "You went pillaging without me? Awwww."

{She says, clearly joking.}

Dianne: "Let me come next time. I'll teach you how to burn down the palace and salt the earth."

Pythia: "Thanks, Ryder, I do love it."

{Stepping forward, Pythia pulls them into a half hug, keeping the spiny cacti away from him.}

'I was trying to be inconspicuous, and I only wanted the treasure. I'd rather not leave a needless trail of destruction in my wake.'

Ryder chuckled. 'Well, I'm glad I picked out something OK.' He hugged her back.

Armin had opened his package by then. It was a book, leather-bound, with no title. He opened it and was met with the sight of several grainy grey photographs. //Oh...//

{Dianne pats Frederick on the shoulder.}

Dianne: "Trust me. It's much more fun to kick the door in and take what you want. But, thank you very much. I love it."

{Pythia holds the hug momentarily, before separating. Dianne turns to look at Armin.}

Dianne: "Hey, what did you get?"

Armin seemed too engrossed in the book to answer immediately, so Fred did.

'This is a compilation of all the photographs I could find from... the old days. To be specific, there's a few from his childhood in Riverside, a few from when we were all a family... I'm afraid there's not many.'

'I didn't even know most of these still existed,' Armin murmured.

Dianne: "Oh."

{ Dianne walks up to him, rubbing his shoulder, looking at the photographs.}

The first picture in the book was very grainy; clearly old and taken with an early model camera. It showed what must have been Armin, at twelve or thirteen years old, grinning and holding a massive carp. A rural village lay in the background.

{Dianne remains silent, looking at each of the old photographs.}

Armin closed the book. 'I'll look through them all later. Do you want me to take those rings back to the car to keep them safe?'

Dianne: "Yes, please. I'd hate to lose them,"

{Handing the box to him carefully, she kisses his cheek.}

Armin quietly left the room with the photo album in one hand and the box in the other, leaving Dianne alone for the moment.

{Dianne watched him go, looking a little concerned.}

Dianne: "He has mentioned that he wanted to find his old photographs..."

'Yes,' said Frederick. 'I knew that he appreciates sentimental things, so it seemed like a good gift, though it's likely a surprise for him, seeing those again. You should look through them with him sometime. Rather interesting.'

Dianne: "I will. Actually, Barnabas' mentioned he found a photo of him on horseback in an antique shop and planned to give it to him as a Christmas gift. Maybe there are more out there."

'It's possible. There may also be more photos from his time as a vampire in Shacklestone. I only found one picture from that time period to put in the album.'
.
Armin reappeared at the doors and started to walk back towards them.

{Dianne nods, looking to Armin.}

Dianne: "Hey, why don't we give Frederick and Pythia their gifts now?"

'Yeah... Here, you two.'
.
Armin dug out the two required presents from the bag he was carrying, handing them to Fred and Pythia.

{Pythia, becoming a little over encumbered, sits down to open them.}

Pythia: "Oh, the book series I like! I've been meaning to catch up with them. And this terrarium is lovely! Thank you so much!"

Dianne: "You're welcome. Enjoy them."

Fred cautiously peeled the wrapping off his presents. His face brightened when he saw them. 'The Endless Staircase. Good choice. I forgot I hadn't finished those. And this is a good quality notebook.'
.
'I know you write things, and I figured you'd like something nice to write them in,' said Armin. 'Glad you like it. And you, Pythia.'

Dianne: "Happy to see you like them. Both of you."

Pythia: "Erm...I walked here, and I don't think I can carry all of these gifts back with me. Could I perhaps store them in your car, Ryder, and ride with you back home after the party?"

'Sure,' said Ryder. 'We can-'
.
'Hold on, Ryder,' interrupted Armin, pulling another package out. 'Take your present too.'
.
Ryder opened the beautiful dice and was suitably impressed. 'Woah, these are really cool. I don't have any that look exactly like this yet. Thank you.' He gave them both a genuine smile. 'OK, Pythia, let's go and put all this stuff in my car.'

Dianne: "Glad you like them."

Pythia: "Wonderful. We'll be right back."

{Presents in hand, Pythia happily follows Ryder to his car.}

Dianne: "Ok, now for Jerry and Ivy..."

{Jerry was not very far, enjoying a plate of food.}

'Last time I saw Ivy, she looked like she was trying to suck some guy's soul out through his mouth, sooo... Let's go see Jerry.'
.
Armin headed over to the investigator, holding the bag of presents in one hand and his wine in the other.

{Upon seeing them coming, Jerry's expression lightens.}

Jerry: "Hey, you three. Having a good time?"

Dianne: "Yes. It seems you are as well."

Jerry: "Yeah, I am. It's a wonderful party."

'They outdid themselves this year, huh? Here, have a present.'
.
Armin was secretly relieved to see Jerry apparently enjoying himself after the events with his family. He tossed him the package containing the tabletop game set from both him and Dianne.

{Jerry catches the package, opening it curiously.}

Jerry: "Oh, hey! I've been meaning to get back into this game! Thanks, guys!"

Dianne: "Of course, enjoy."

Jerry: "While we're giving gifts, here..."

{He reaches into his suit pocket, bringing out two tiny packages.}

Armin took his present, looking it over keenly before starting to open it. //Small... I wonder what it is...//

{Armin's gift was a gift voucher, to rent a boat out on Topaz Lake for fishing.}

Jerry: "Thought you might like that, given your love for fishing. You'll have to go in the spring though."

'That's pretty cool. Yeah, I'll just hold onto this until spring. Will be something fun to look forward to... Thanks.' He gratefully slipped the voucher into his pocket.

{Dianne opened hers. It was a dark stone set into a golden rod of sorts.}

Dianne: "Is this..."

Jerry: "Alicia's portal summoner. A rare and priceless artifact, one that I'm sure will be safe with you."

Dianne: "Thank you. I'll keep it safe."

Armin eyed the object curiously. 'What is that? Something to make portals?'

Dianne: "Yes. This is how Paxton's people were getting around so fast."

Jerry: "Alicia tried to hide it before she died. I found it in the glass cleaner factory."

{As Ryder and Pythia walked back, she reaches into her coat pocket, producing a shiny, metal dice, with semiprecious stone inlays for the number dots.}

Pythia: "Here. I found this at a rummage sale and thought of you. I know it isn't much, but...I'd like you to have it."

'Well, that's useful. Don't let anyone steal it off you,' said Armin to Dianne.
.
Ryder took the dice, turning it in his hand. 'It's beautiful. Haha, everyone knows I collect these now, huh?' He pocketed the metal cube with a grin and tentatively patted her shoulder. 'Thanks, Pythia, I love it.'

Dianne: "Relax. No one would know what it is, let alone where I'll keep it."

{Pythia smiles cheerfully, very happy that he liked it.}

Pythia: "Happy you like it."

Armin put his empty glass down. 'Alright, anyone left?' he said, looking around the room. 'Oh yeah, we still have to find Ivy...'
.
Ryder smiled, walking with Pythia back into the ballroom.

Dianne: "Now, where could she be..."

{Dianne looks around the room, trying to spot her.}

Jerry: "Does this party have any mistletoe? Try under that."

Armin wrinkled his nose. 'That would be typical of her, all right...' He looked around and suddenly spotted a flash of green dress in the corner. It was Ivy, alone this time, drinking lemonade. She wasn't actually under any mistletoe, but there was some on the ceiling nearby.

Dianne: "There she is. Well, let's get it over with."

{Adjusting her grip on Esme, Dianne walks right for her.}

Ivy looked up when they approached.
.
'Oh, so you two /are/ here. Well, welcome to the ball.'

Dianne: "Of course we're here. Why wouldn't we be?"

{She asks, genuinely confused.}

'I heard a rumour in my social circle that you weren't coming. Something about... Oh, because it was a ball and you might have to dance. But I guess it was just a rumour.'
.
'I'm not keen on the dancing part, but that wouldn't stop us from coming,' said Armin with mild exasperation. 'Anyway, have a present.' He took out the package and handed it to her.

Dianne: "Ivy, your social circle, with the exception of Jerry, doesn't even know us. How could you give credence to anything they tell you about us?"

'Well, it's still amusing to see how wrong they are... Or an interesting surprise when they turn out to be right.' As she started opening her present, she handed Dianne a small package and Armin a distinctly bottle-shaped one.

{Dianne opens her gift curiously, wondering what Ivy could have gotten her.}

Inside Dianne's package was a handful of archaic gold coins. They were Draconian coins from around 800 years ago.

'Before you ask, yes, I had them tested, and yes, they are genuine,' said Ivy.

Armin's present was a bottle of vintage red wine, which he looked over appreciatively.

{Dianne looks over the coins, feeling them in her hands. Internally, she was surprised Ivy got her something like this, but hid it.}

Dianne: "Thank you, Ivy, I love them. This was very thoughtful."

'Mm, you're easy to shop for,' said Ivy, sounding pleased. 'Everyone knows you like treasure. It's not hard.'

She opened the emerald necklace and her expression became greedy as she examined it.

'Oh, now that /is/ pretty... Thank you.'

Dianne: "Silver with emerald and jade. Thought it would match your eyes. Happy you like it."

'Yes, it's lovely. Thank you very much.'

Ivy put the necklace on right there and then.

'Want me to take everything back to the car again?' Armin asked, eyeing the various objects he and Dianne were carrying.

Dianne: "Yeah, sure. Thanks."

{She says, handing him the coins and kissing his cheek.}

Armin hurried off back to the car with their presents and the empty bag.

'Well, I'd best be off,' said Ivy. 'People to meet, things to do... Hope you have a pleasant evening.' She wandered off, absently touching the green jewel around her neck.

Dianne: "Alright. Have a good rest of your night."

{After watching Ivy walk away, Dianne makes her way back to Pythia.}

Dianne: "Pythia, after Armin gets back, I want to dance with him. Can you watch Esme while we do that?"

Pythia: "Of course. You two go have fun."

Armin returned shortly, heading straight for Dianne and Pythia. He cocked his head questioningly.
.
'So, you want to go dancing now?'

Dianne: "Yes. C'mon, let's go."

{With an air of impatience, she takes him by the hands and leads him to the dance floor. Pythia smiles as they go, sitting with Esme.}

Armin looked just slightly nervous as they walked up to the dance floor. However, he allowed her to pull him along without a fuss.
.
'I hope you're not expecting this to be some sort of magical, perfect moment...'

Dianne: "All I want is for you to try. No stepping on my feet purposely, no excessive complaining, just follow my lead, and dance with me calmly. That's all I ask."

{Getting to the floor, she takes one of his hands and puts her other on his hip.}

Dianne: "Here, put your hand around my waist and slowly follow me."

Armin did as he was told. He began to gingerly follow her movements, watching her attentively. The motions obviously didn't come naturally to him. He sometimes moved in the opposite direction before catching himself, and his footwork was uncertain. But, he was making an effort.

{Dianne was very patient with him, slowly dancing with him. She seemed to be enjoying herself, internally happy that he was making an effort.}

Dianne: "See? This isn't so bad."

{She says softly.}

'No. But you're lucky I'm not easily embarrassed, because several dozen people are watching this right now...' he murmured. As they went into a slow turn, he carefully followed.

Dianne: "Who cares? I'm just happy to dance with you."

{Blissfully uncaring, she continues into the slow turn.}

'Well, then, you must be glad of the opportunity,' he said quietly, smiling a little as he followed. 'It's not every day we go to a ball.'

Dianne: "I know. I never get to do this."

{She continues to dance, smiling happily the whole time.}

Armin quietly danced with her, letting her lead the whole time. The band were playing a somewhat slow, yet upbeat tune. It held a note of quiet hopefulness, as if it were looking forward to good times ahead. For the new year and beyond.
.
As the song approached its conclusion, Armin ducked his head slightly to press his forehead against hers. 'Would it bother you if I kissed you in front of everyone?' he said innocently.

Dianne: "Not at all."

{Not waiting for a reply, she kisses him deeply.}

Armin made a small, startled noise. His surprise quickly evaporated and he leaned forwards, kissing her back.
.
//I was going to do that...// he said playfully.
.
Someone wolf-whistled in the distance. Ivy was smirking.

{Dianne didn't care about the attention. She was just enjoying the moment.}

Dianne: "I know...I beat you to it."

'Rude of you...'
.
Armin drew back, gazing down at her. He dropped a quick kiss on her head, then straightenee up.
.
'Do you want to keep dancing?'

Dianne: "If you're not sick of it...Yeah, I'd like that."

'Let's go for a little bit longer. One more song.'
.
He continued to follow her lead as best as he could.
.
'I wonder if anyone else we know will dance?'

Dianne: "Maybe. No one else we know has a partner. Heh, I'd love to see Frederick dance."

Armin gave a quiet chuckle. 'That would be... Awkward, I imagine. I can't see anyone having the guts to ask him, though.'

Dianne: "True. Not even Ivy would try. Maybe Pythia, though."

{Dianne continued to slowly and patiently dance with Armin, enjoying this rare opportunity.}

Armin was quiet for a little while, focusing on not stomping on her feet.
.
'Have you ever actually danced with someone else? You said that you used to dance alone, mainly.'

Dianne: "Well...no, actually. I just...watched other people....and danced alone. Is it that obvious?"

'Of course it isn't. I barely know anything about dancing; I would never have been able to tell. But, I'm honoured to be your first dance partner.'

{Dianne smiles joyfully, looking into his eyes.}

Dianne: "And here you thought you wouldn't enjoy this."

'Well, I still wouldn't call myself a fan, but... It's not so bad. It's nice to know that you wanted to try it with me.'

Dianne: "You're my amateotl. I couldn't think of a better person to do this with."

{As the song ended, she slowed to a halt.}

Once they stopped moving, Armin swept into an elegant bow, kissed the back of her hand, then straightened up.
.
'Shall we go down now?'

{Blinking flirtatiously at the gesture, she replies.}

Dianne: "Yes, we shall."

{As they walk back to Pythia, she smiles.}

Pythia: "Good form, you two. Have fun?"

Dianne: "I did. I think Armin did too, but he might not admit it."

'I said it wasn't as awful as I expected it to be,' Armin replied. 'That's good enough.' He hadn't let go of Dianne's hand yet.

Pythia: "Glad to hear it. If you two are done for now..."

{She looks around the room for Ryder.}

Pythia: "I want to see if Ryder will dance with me..."

'As if Ryder would say no to anything,' said Armin, amused. He nodded towards a Christmas tree in the corner, beside which Ryder could be seen. 'He's over there, by that tree.'

Pythia: "Ok, here I go..."

{Leaving Esme with Dianne and Armin, Pythia heads right for Ryder.}

Pythia: "He-hey, Ryder. Um, I was wondering...c-could you, I mean...Would you like to dance?"

Ryder looked momentarily too surprised to respond, then snapped back to reality. '...Oh, sure! Why not? Sounds like fun.' He grinned and offered Pythia a hand to walk with her up to the dance floor.

{Pythia takes his hand, delighted, and walks with him to the dance floor.}

Dianne: "Oh, she's never going to hear the end of it from Ivy."

Armin chuckled. 'At least she's having fun. That's what's important. We'll worry about Ivy later.'
.
Ryder hopped onto the floor just as the band were starting a new song. 'OK, uh, do you wanna lead or shall I?'

Pythia: "You can lead, I don't mind either way."

{Standing, Dianne goes and gets a glass of wine, then returns to Armin and Esme.}

'Alright,' said Ryder cheerfully. He got into position and started to dance slowly.
.
Armin leaned back against the wall, just taking in the sights and watching the various dancers.

{Pythia seemed happy to be dancing, moving in step with Ryder and enjoying the moment. Dianne slowly sipped her wine, watching the dancers.}

Dianne: "We gave out all our gifts, right?"

'I think so,' said Armin. 'Fred, Pythia, Ryder, Ivy... Yeah, that's everyone. The only ones left are the family presents.'

Dianne: "Which will be given out in the morning. You're lucky though. You got yours a day early. I can't wait to see what you got me."

'I'm looking forward to giving it to you. Hey, we got food for tomorrow, right? The supermarkets and restaurants will be closed.'

Dianne: "Yeah, we got fish in the fridge. I planned for this, don't worry."

'Good...'
.
Armin leaned across and lazily kissed her cheek. He walked over to the table to fetch himself another drink, bringing back a plate of cold chicken, ham, and fruit for Esme. She ate ravenously as Armin settled back beside Dianne again.

{Dianne watched fondly as Esme ate.}

Dianne: "She has a healthy appetite, that's for sure. And the food here isn't bad. On a different note, I am glad Crowley hasn't shown up to ruin everyone's time."

{Across the room was someone nobody had noticed yet. Lucci. He seemed to just be enjoying the party like everyone else.}

'Don't say that. You'll jinx it. He probably will show up now,' said Armin with amusement. He wasn't afraid of Crowley showing up. There were too many powerful fighters in the room for him to be a real threat.
.
The first person who actually did notice Lucci was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Fred. He watched him for a moment, then calmly and inconspicuously walked over. 'Good evening, Lucci.'

Lucci: "Oh, hello, Frederick. Enjoying the party?"

Dianne: I'm sure he knows better than to show up here. He can't possibly beat us all."

'Well enough. Are you here for a reason?' Fred asked.
.
'I wouldn't put it past him to try. Since when does has Crowley 'known better' than to do something?'

*has

Lucci: "Not particularly, no. I'm here to enjoy the party like everyone else."

Dianne: "That's true. Makes me wonder, though. What does a guy like that do with all his time?"

Fred raised his eyebrows in an expression of slight doubt. 'Are you sure? From past experience and hearsay, you normally only appear to give information, warnings, or when something is about to happen.'
.
Armin shrugged, sipping his wine. 'Maybe it's best not to know.'

Lucci: "I know. But this time, it really is completely social. I mean, if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Also, I brought some gifts."

Dianne: "Perhaps so."

'I see.' Fred looked Lucci over. 'Why don't you go ahead and distribute your gifts, then? I believe everyone is here.'

Lucci: "Ok. Here."

{Lucci produces a gilded pen and presents it to Frederick.}

Lucci: "It's enchanted. It will never run out of ink."

Fred looked the pen over, impressed.
.
'Thank you. That's certainly useful.' He put it into his top shirt pocket, so it could be seen protruding from the top.

Lucci: "Merry Christmas. Hmm, who to give the next gift to?"

{Lucci looks around for the nearest person he knew.}

The closest person seemed to be Rex. He eas sitting down near a tree, talking to Owel. Fred pointed him out.
.
'If you have anything for Rex, I believe he's not busy.'

Lucci: "I do. I'll be around Frederick. If you need anything, just ask."

{With that, he heads over to Rex.}

Lucci: "Hello, Rex. Having a good time?"

Rex looked up, hiding his surprise. Like Fred, he seemed suspicious about why Lucci was here.
.
'...Well, yes, I suppose so. Has something happened?'
.
Owel looked Lucci over intently, unsure who he was.

Lucci: "No, of course not. I'm here to enjoy the party and disperse gifts. No business today. And hello, Mrs. Owel. We haven't been formally introduced. I am Lucci, Oracle of the Mountain of Light."

'Well, hello, Lucci. Yes, I've heard of you. Fred has mentioned you before. And none of that 'Mrs' business, thank you. I'm not married.'
.
Rex squinted slightly, unwilling to trust that Lucci really wasn't up to anything else, but he let it go.

Lucci: "Of course, miss Owel. Anyway, Rex, I have something for you."

{Reaching into his pocket, he produces an old photograph. Jade's school photo, to be exact.}

Lucci: "Here. Something to remember her by."

Rex took the photo. He stared at it for quite a while, his expression hard to read. Then he cleared his throat.
.
'Thank you,' he said gruffly. 'I didn't have anything of hers. Things didn't really end well between us, but I'm still grateful for what she did right.'
.
He pocketed the picture while Owel watched curiously.

{Lucci gingerly pats him on the shoulder before turning to Owel.}

Lucci: "And for you, miss."

{Lucci gives her a gold ring. Her ex-husband's gold ring.}

Lucci: "Melt it down, sell it. It ought to be yours anyway."

Owel examined the ring, instantly recognising it. The faintest flicker of pain went through her face, at the memory of dark times long gone by. Then she nodded approvingly and pocketed it.
.
'So, it's not just Frederick who's been taking things from that island? Well, thank you very much. I'll certainly do that.'

Lucci: "Of course. Consider this the last line severed. Anyway, I'm off to hand out more gifts. But before I go, this is for Warden."

{He hands Owel a piece of paper. It's an order for pickup of a brand new base guitar, pre-paid.}

Owel ran her eye over the paper with a look of surprise. 'Oh, that's lovely. He'll be delighted. He's meant to be coming to the party a little later, so I'll give it to him then.'

Lucci: "Wonderful. Well, I have more gifts to distribute. Have a lovely evening."

{With that, he walks right for Pythia and Ryder, who we're just walking off the dance floor.}

Lucci: "Pythia, Ryder. Having a good time?"

'Oh, hi. Lucci, right?' said Ryder. He was still grinning after the dance with Pythia. 'What's up? Here to enjoy the festivities?'

Lucci: "Yes. And, to give gifts. Here."

{He hands Ryder a pair of dice, carved into the facets of almandine.}

Lucci: "For your hoard. Also, they miiiight be enchanted to always roll nat 20's, so be careful when using them for board games."

Ryder gave an admiring whistle. 'Now, that is /awesome./ Thanks!' He put the dice in his suit pocket, gazing at them the whole while. It was clear that pretty dice were worth as much to him as Dianne's treasure was to her.

Lucci: "Enjoy. And something for you, Pythia."

{Lucci hands her a bag of seeds. Pythia accepts them, looking them over curiously.}

Pythia: "Are these...?"

Lucci: "Mogia's Blessing, yes. The most potent herb for curative brews. Cultivate them in your garden, but beware. Luxia may try to poach them."

(Luxia: 'Kids these days think so little of wise old ladies. >:( )
.
'Those are cool. I hope you don't run into any trouble growing them,' said Ryder.

(Lucci: "No, kids these days just need something of their own.)

Pythia: "Thank you, Lucci, they're wonderful. I'll start growing them in spring."

Lucci: "Honestly, Luxia is the only one who could recognize them. And she's mostly harmless."

'Well, good luck anyway, Pythia. I'm sure you'll make some great stuff with those herbs.'

Pythia: "Yes, lots of good will be done with these."

Lucci: "I'm sure. Now, to give my gifts to Jerry, Armin, and Dianne. Have a wonderful evening, you two."

{With that, he heads right for the couple. Upon noticing him, Dianne gives a surprised look.}

Lucci: "Hey, you two. Having a good time?"

'Lucci?'
.
Like Fred, Armin immediately looked suspicious that Lucci had come to deliver concerning news.
.
'Is everything... Alright?'

Lucci: "Yes, everything is fine. I simply came for the party and to give gifts."

Dianne: "So...no world ending event that I need to go prevent, which would separate me from my family and friends for a year all while I fight for my life?"

Lucci: "No, of course not. My dear, you always assume the worst."

'Considering you've made her do things like that in the past, assuming the worst is not surprising,' said Armin. 'But anyway... Did I hear something about gifts?'

{Dianne seems to become a little anxious, squeezing Armin's hand a little tighter.}

Lucci: "Yes, gifts. Here, Armin, you first.}

{Reaching into an inner suit pocket, he produces a set of little pictureframes. The frames were engraved with the likenesses of Janet, young Frederick, Julie, and his parents in various life scenes on the edges of the frames.}

Lucci: "For the photos Frederick gave you."

Armin squeezed Dianne's hand back and murmured reassuringly with telepathy. //It's OK.//
.
He then turned his attention to the frames. 'Oh....' Taking them in his other hand, he leaned in to examine the little engravings up close. 'These really are beautiful. Thanks. I'll add some photos to them onxe I've looked through them all.'

Lucci: "You're welcome. Here, Dianne, for you."

{Lucci hands her a small box, and a statue of a ferret carved out of Marble. It had precious stone inlays for the eyes and was well made.}

Dianne: "Oh. It's beautiful, thank you."

Armin gave a soft chuckle. 'A ferret. That's quite cute.'

{Dianne looked in the small box. She found a pair of large hair braid beads. They were rimmed in sliver and were inlaid with gold and red stone. Dianne looked them over with shocked recognition.}

Dianne: "Why did you give me these?"

Lucci: "Something to remember her by."

Armin stared at the beads, not understanding the significance of them.
.
'Did those belong to someone?'

Dianne: "Aava..."

Lucci: "She has no living descendants. The Golians killed her family and she disappeared. I found these at an estate sale in the eastern provinces. As her only surviving friend, you should have them."

{Dianne looks down at the beads in her hand, her expression solemn.}

Dianne: "No one ever found her, huh?"

Armin glanced between Dianne and the beads. He said nothing about Aava's disappearance, though it made him wonder. //Where did she go, then?//
.
'Well, it's a nice little memento...'

{Shaking herself from reminiscing, she looks up at Lucci.}

Dianne: "Thank you. I'll take good care of them."

Lucci: "I know you will. On a cheerier note, I'm off to give Jerry his gift. I know neither of you like me much, so I'll make myself scarce. Have a good evening!"

{With that, he walks off.}

Armin watched Lucci walk away. 'Wonder what he's giving Jerry. More sentimental relics?'
.
He quietly leaned over and kissed Dianne's head.

{Dianne leans into him gently, putting her head against his chest.}

Dianne: "That seems to be the trend..."

Armin carefully wrapped his arms around her, still holding the engraved frames. Esme curled around their ankles with a quiet, rumbling chirp.
.
'Should we think about heading home?'Armin asked. 'I imagine Esme must be starting to get tired anyway.'

Dianne: "Yeah, it's getting late. Let's go say goodbye."

{With her gifts in hand, Dianne begins to make her way to Pythia and Ryder, careful not to step on Esme. Pythia was talking to him about how to germinate the plant when she made it over.}

Dianne: "Hey, guys, we're going to head home. It was a great party and it's always good seeing you all."

Ryder looked up. 'OK. Have a great rest of your Christmas,' he said warmly. He reached down to briefly rub Esme's head. 'It's been nice having you here.'

Dianne: "I had a great time. See you both soon."

Pythia: "Happy Holidays. Remember, Armin, keep her warm at night. Christmas might be over, but the winter is just starting."

'Relax, Pythia. I know. I'm not sure why everyone keeps drilling that into me.'
.
He cast a look around the room until he spotted a dark-haired figure. //Rex?//
.
//Coming,// Rex replied.

Pythia: "Hey, hibernation is no joke."

Dianne: "Pythia, I'll be fiiiiine. You don't need to worry about me so much."

Pythia: "It's my job to worry. I can't help it."

{Chuckling, Dianne looks for Frederick.}

Fred was alone in a corner, surveying the room. He noticed immediately when they began to approach him.
.
'Heading home for the night, I assume?'

Dianne: "Yeah. Have a good night, Fred."

'Very well. Look after yourselves.'
.
'You too,' said Armin. 'I know you are anyway, but keep an eye on everyone for us. Don't let anything happen '
.
'I will do my best. The party will likely continue for several more hours.'

Dianne: "Let me know if Crowley shows up."

{Chuckling, she waves to Owel across the room.}

Owel waved lightly in response, then gave a thumbs-up.
.
'I guess we'd better find Jerry, if he's still around,' said Armin, scanning the crowds for him.

{Jerry was by the food, watching as Lucci walked away from him. He seemed mildly perplexed. Dianne headed right for him.}

Dianne: "Hey, Jerry. We're headed home and we wanted to say goodbye."

Jerry: "Oh, really? This party's going to continue for a while longer."

Dianne: "Yeah, but Esme's tired, and I had a good time. I think we're ready."

'All of you can enjoy the rest of the party on our behalf. And let us know if anything interesting happens.'
.
As he spoke, Armin surreptitiously ran his gaze over Jerry, trying to see what Lucci might have given him.

{Whatever it was, it had to have been small, as there was no sign of the gift.}

Jerry: "Will do. Have a good evening, you guys."

{He briefly hugs Dianne in farewell, then pats Armin's arm.}

'Alright, we'll be off...'
.
Leaving Jerry, Armin started to head for the exit, glancing over his shoulder at the room one last time. Esme sloped after him, yawning.

{Dianne scoops up Esme and heads to the exit with Armin, out into the cold night.}

Dianne: "I had a great time. How about you?"

'I did. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and handing out all the presents was fun. Maybe when we get home and unpack everything, I'll take another look at that album.'
.
Outside, snow had begun to settle on the ground, rooftops, and the cars.

Dianne: "Yeah. The frames Lucci gave you are beautiful."

{Dianne takes a look at the settling snow, walking along for the car.}

Armin dug out the car keys and opened it up for them. As they were climbing inside, Rex appeared from the direction of the palace, and hopped into the back.
.
'Well, you two certainly have a good haul,' he remarked, eyeing the presents in the back.

{Dianne places her statue in there, but keeping the beads in her purse.}

Dianne: "Yeah. They're all wonderful."

Armin put his picture frames into the back as well. Then, leaving the lights of the palace behind, he drove off through the thickening snow.
.
'I think after Christmas, we'll move back into your house for the winter,' he mused.

Dianne: "Good idea. It's getting extremely cold here, and I'm starting to miss my fireplace."

'Yeah, we'll do that. After all, it's probably only going to get colder. With the snows and all... Though, I think Esme might like it. She was born on a tundra.'

Dianne: "Then we'll take her out to play in the snow. Actually, we should probably make her wear a sweater. I don't want her top get too cold."

'That might be a good idea... She is pretty small.'

Armin pulled up outside his house. The snow had lightly coated the driveway and surrounding grass.

'I wonder how thick it'll be by tomorrow morning?' he said, almost excitedly, as he climbed into the back to gather up the presents.

Dianne: "Hopefully no more than a few inches."

{She says, gathering up Esme and what presents she could find.}

Dianne: "Otherwise, driving may become problematic."

Once everyone was out, Armin locked up the car and headed straight into the warm darkness of the house. He kicked off his shoes and went upstairs to lay out his various gifts on top of the dresser.

{As soon as they got inside, Dianne let Esme down, then followed Armin up. However, she turned into the store room. Approaching the altar, she places the hair beads next to Mira's arm. Kissing the snout of the stature, she then exits and heads into the bedroom, where she places the rest of the gifts on the night stand.}

Armin heard her going into the storeroom, but didn't comment on it. He quietly surveyed both of their presents for a moment.
.
'We got some good stuff. It's kind of a shame Esme didn't get anything, but I guess she's too young for anyone to know what she'd want.'

Dianne: "Yeah. I'm sure that will change very soon. Tomorrow, we'll give her a gift, so that will be something."

{Sitting on the bed, Dianne takes off her shoes and jacket.}

Dianne: "Heels....Always uncomfortable..."

'You could just wear normal shoes,' Armin observed. He took off his suit jacket and shoved it back into the closet. 'I'm gonna shower before changing.'

Dianne: "It was a special occasion. Ok, I'll shower after you."

{Lying on the bed, she waits for Armin to be done.}

Rex had retreated downstairs to use his computer. Esme wandered about for a while before coming up to the bed and falling asleep immediately.
.
After a good twenty minutes or so, Armin emerged from the shower in his nightclothes. 'All free,' he said as he entered the bedroom.

{Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, Dianne gets up, gathers her sleepwear, and heads for the bath.}

Dianne: "I'll be back..."

Armin gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment. When Dianne came back, she would find him sitting up in bed, with the blanket over his legs, absently poring over the photo album. The electric heater made the room a much more comfortable temperature.

{Dianne returned, looking at him curiously. Climbing into bed, she sits up next to him.}

Dianne: "Your photos?"

The picture Armin was currently focused on showed him aged about nineteen, sitting on a large horse with a girl seated behind him. A girl with long braided hair and freckles. It was clearly Janet. They were both grinning, wild and carefree.
.
'Yep. I remember some of them. Others I don't.'

Dianne: "You and Janet look so happy. I take it she rode horses as well?"

'Not at first. I taught her. In this picture, she was sitting on the back of my horse because she wasn't too confident controlling it yet. We went out for a canter over the moors. Nice morning.'

Dianne: "Sounds lovely. She looks delighted to be riding with you. Must be a good memory."

Armin turned onto the next set of pages. Here were several pictures of Fred, aged between four and seven. Reading books, sitting under trees, playing with building blocks. In some of them, he was accomplished by a younger girl with wild curly hair - Julie.
.
'It might be hard to believe, but those two actually got along really well. Fred was very protective of her.'

Dianne: "Really? That's great, to have siblings that get along well. They're adorable."

'We were lucky. Considering his personality, we weren't sure if he'd like her.'
.
After some more family scenes, Armin paused, momentarily surprised. There was a photo of him as a vampire, leaning against a graffitied Shacklestone wall. Beside him stood Rex, leaning on a battered guitar. Armin had long hair, was unshaven, and had a haunted look in his eye. Rex had a bloody bandage around his arm, but otherwise looked the same as usual.

Dianne: "Looks like there's an interesting story behind that one. Posing for a band picture?"

'Honestly, I don't remember that one very well. It was probably something like that, though. Since it was obviously someone we knew taking the picture... Damn, I look terrible.'

Dianne: "You do look rough. Glad you're out of there."

{Kissing him on the cheek, she hugs him from the side.}

Armin closed the album and carefully set it aside, before turning to Dianne and snuggling into her.
.
'Well, that was interesting. It's nice to have those back, even if there aren't many of them.'

Dianne: "Yeah...Tomorrow, you'll put them into the frames..."

{Holding him tightly, she runs her fingers through his hair.}

Armin gave a quiet growl, indicating contentment. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her to lie down with him, then tugged the blankets higher over them both. He settled his head between her neck and shoulder and closed his eyes.
.
'Mm... Keep doing that... When we wake up tomorrow, I'll give you your present....'

Dianne: "I'm looking forward to it..."

{Kissing the side of his face, she continues to stroke his hair until she fell asleep.}

(Skip?)

(Yes. I'm going to poat a new room first.)