December 24, 8:24 P.M
Eel was sitting in her quarters channel surfing with Chameleon's dog by her side when she came across a commercial for Christmas trees. After thinking about the possibilities of why the humans would want to decorate trees with garland and colored glass ornaments, she decided maybe Sheeba would have a better answer to the seemingly odd human rituals.
She found the Princess in her own quarters. The lights were down low and there was an array of lit candles around the room, along with some sort of classical music playing softly in the background.
"Sheeba, can I ask you something?" Eel whispered and walked over to the Princess's bed, where she was curled up under a velvety comforter. "You just did." Sheeba smiled to her. "No, seriously." Eel continued. "Do you know anything about a human holiday called Christmas?" She smiled hopefully at Sheeba. "Well, not really." Sheeba sighed and sat up.
The door slowly opened and a draft swept through the room, causing the candles' flames to flicker. Both females looked at the door to see which one of the males had disturbed their conversation. Eel backed up against the wall and cautiously stared when she realized it was Dragaunus.
"What's she doing in here?" he growled at Sheeba. "Uhh, she was just leaving, weren't you Eel?" Sheeba said as she glared at Eel.
The young Saurian smiled wickedly. "Ahh, I see."
She exclaimed. She began to snicker as she added, "Lit candles,
classical music, Sheeba and Dragaunus completely alone"
There was somewhat of a suggestive air to the way she said it.
"Good bye Eel." Dragaunus growled as her grabbed her
by the scruff of the neck and shoved her out the door.
She giggled evilly and decided to go pester Wraith for a while.
She found him as usual, in his library reading through and old spell book. "Heya grandpa, what'sup?" She giggled as she walked in the dusty old room. "I specifically told you NOT to call me grandpa." He hissed at her. "Well, it's the truth isn't it?" she smiled at him. "Yeah, unfortunately." He growled.
She smiled and sat down on the edge of the old table where he had several open books laid out. "Do you know anything about humans?" she began. "I know they can usually blunder into a spell that's never be seen by anyone on this planet and destroy it." He said sarcastically. "Do you know anything about their holiday rituals?" "No, but have you been practicing that transformation spell I gave you the translation for?" He asked, looking up at her from whatever it was he was reading in an old leather book.
She smiled evilly and cast the spell over him, which turned him into a newt. "Now what do you think?" she smirked. "Change me back immediately!" He snarled. "Oh you're no fun." She sighed as she did as he said. "Now be gone, I have work to do!" he ordered as she left the room.
She wandered into the control room feeling abandoned and neglected, but had to smile when she saw Chameleon lounging in Dragaunus's throne.
"Heyas." She sighed as she crawled up into the throne with him. "What's the matter kido?" He asked as her turned to look at her. "No one wants me around" she sighed. "I might as well not even exist."
She laid her head down on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Aww, I'll keep ya' company Eely. I'm not really doing anything." He offered. "Well I suppose." She smiled slightly at him. "What?" he asked cautiously, hoping she wasn't planning on doing something evil to him. "Do you know anything about human holidays?" She asked slowly. "Well, actually, yes." He answered. "How about the one where they cut down a tree and decorate it with colored ornaments?" She asked anxiously.
"Oh, you mean Christmas?" he asked. "Well, I suppose that's what it's called." She answered, a little unsure of what he meant. "There's a lot more to it than just a decorated tree. They also give gifts, and usually have a huge feast within their families." He added.
"Oh show me!" She squealed. "I can't. You aren't a shape shifter." He sighed. "Wanna' bet?" She snickered as she cast a transformation spell over herself.
She appeared as a lovely young human girl in front of him and smiled innocently as he stared.
"How'd you do that?!" he exclaimed. "You're not a shape shifter!" "It was a transformation spell Wraith had me learn." She explained. "So shall we?" She smiled, pointing to the door.
Chameleon morphed into a handsome male human and smiled to
her. "Hmm. . not to bad." She commented. "For
a human form." Chameleon quickly interjected. "Of course."
She said bluntly.
* * *
The streets of Anaheim were busy with humans doing their last minute shopping before Christmas.
"What the heck is that?" Eel yelped, a little shocked, as she pointed to a Santa Claus and reindeer scene in a store window. "The humans all tell their children that the night before Christmas, some fat guy in a red suit slides down the chimney of their house and leaves presents under a tree." Eel laughed. "That's the cheeseist thing I've ever heard!" "Tell me about it." Chameleon smirked as he pointed to a rather large guy in a Santa suit giving out candy canes. "That's just freaky." Eel said as she stared at the scene. "It gets worse." Chameleon sighed. "Come on kid, I'll show ya'."
The scene inside the Anaheim mall was total chaos. Young children were running wild through out the store as parents bickered with cashiers and fought amongst themselves for who go the last of what toy.
"And Dragaunus wants to conquer this?" Eel said doubtfully. "I was on this planet last year during Christmas time." Chameleon sighed. "And it gets still worse than this."
He began to slip through the chaotic mess of arguing humans and crying children with Eel close to follow.
She was perplexed by some of the things which the human children played with. In her eyes, most of it seemed completely pathetic and useless for real life skills. "Hey Eel, did you know that all male humans can have only one female?" Chameleon asked, trying to keep track of the girl who was following him.
A blonde woman turned around and smacked him hard across the face, called him a few choice names, and hurriedly walked away. "Chameleon, I wouldn't be talkin' too much about the way things our in our species too much in crowds of humans. They find most of what we do strange and repulsive." "I noticed." He growled as her rubbed the side of his face. "Now come on kid, I still have some things to show ya'." He said as he went into a small boutique and motioned for her to follow.
The small room had only a few humans in it and smelled richly with cinnamon and pine branches. The shop's front windows were decorated with plastic cling on decorations and spray on snow. Cards of garland hung on shelves along with beautiful decorations, lights and colored glass balls. Tubes of wrapping paper were stacked up in formation along one wall, and the walls were decorated elaborately with wonderful looking decorations. Large glass jars full of delicious looking candies lined the front of a counter where a little old man with white hair and small glass spectacles sat at an old fashioned cash register. There were Christmas songs playing from a small radio near the man.
"Can I help you?" the man asked, looking up from the paper he was reading. "Uhh, we're just looking." Chameleon said hurriedly and ducked in between two aisles, pulling Eel along with him. "He reminds me of Wraith." she giggled. "Speaking of Wraith, we'd better go back before the others wonder where we are." "We don't have to be too concerned with Sheeba and Dragaunus wondering where we are." Eel giggled. "Why?" Chameleon questioned. "No particular reason." Eel smirked and stepped out from the aisle.
She stopped to look at the Christmas tree which had been sat up in the middle of the shop with flickering lights, tinsel and various other ornaments before walking up to the counter where the old man sat, reading his paper.
"Hello Miss." He said as he smiled at her. "Uhh, hi." Eel said shyly. The man snickered quietly to himself. "Would you like some free samples?" He asked as he pointed to the jars of candy. "Uhm, well, I. ." the stammered, a little nervous to be talking to a human. "Go ahead Miss, help yourself." "Uhh, thank you." She said politely and raised the lid on a container which held home made chocolate candies.
Out of politeness more than anything she took a few pieces and ate them slowly. "Come on Elly." Chameleon said, faking a fatherly tone, "It's time to go." Hurriedly, Eel thanked the man and followed Chameleon out of the store. "Don't ever take food from a human again!" he snapped at her. "Good grief Chameleon, he was just a harmless little old man trying to sell candy!" She snapped back at him. "And besides, he can't tell that we're actually Saurians in shape shift!"
They were both silent for a long time after that. "Eel,
I know he was probably harmless, but gee, you have to be a little
more careful than that." Chameleon said slowly. "You
know what?" Eel said as she smiled at him. "You're
starting to sound like Dragaunus." "If that's true
than please Eel, shoot me now and put me out of my misery!"
he laughed.
* * *
Everything was silent when the two crept back into the ship.
Chameleon took on his usual shape and Eel reversed her transformation spell. "The boss is gonna' kill us both! Do you realize it's a quarter 'till midnight?" he whispered frantically at her. "Calm down ya' little freak." She snickered as she pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to him. "A Santa hat!" he exclaimed. "You stole a SANTA HAT!" "Shhh!" She whispered. "Do you want the others to hear us? And yes, I stole a Santa hat."
He looked at her cautiously. "What?" she demanded.
"And they say I'm pathetic, but you go around stealing Santa
hats. Oh boy." He smiled at her and she started to laugh.
"We'll have to do this again sometime." She sighed
after the moment of humor had passed. "I hear that these
humans will be celebrating a new millennium before too much longer."
He smiled evilly at her. "I'd love to!" She hissed
excitedly and raced off to her quarters.
* * *