| As snow fell down in the Forget-Me-Not Valley, Jack Hikoru could only sigh as he plowed the farm ground with his hoe. He always spent winter time with his father. Now that he was dead, Jack was alone. Takakura was an OK friend and all, but he was the LAST person you'd want to go to for Christmas spirit. Sure, he had made a lot of friends, but he wanted to celebrate the good times again. When he randomly decided to check his mail, a letter inside told him he could. When he ripped the envelope open, it said, "You are invited to my grandmother's mansion for a Christmas Party! Please attend, and bring a present, as secret Santa's will be doing gift exchanges. Pick a person and label your present. Lumina." This brightened up Jack's day tremendously. A party is just what the doctor ordered....more or less. However, the party was weeks away, and with lack of stores here. "I need to get a gift." he muttered. Takakura was finally relaxing after commuting to Mineral Town. Day in and day out, he would commute to sell Jack's hard earned products to the market. Now that it was winter, there were no heavy boxes of crops to carry with him. Putting a log in the fireplace and making some hot tea, he was finally able to enjoy a day off. Then a knock on the door brought that thought crashing down like a ton of bricks. "Takakura?" Jack asked as he opened the door to see his father's friend actually SCOWLING at him. "What?" Takakura asked in a tone far rougher than needed. "I'm going to the city for two and a half weeks. I need to get something, and I'm visiting mother. Take care of the animals while I'm gone." Jack said before hoofing it to the mountain path, suitcase in hand. "GAH!!!!!!" Takakura shouted as his thoughts of a vacation were ruined. ---------------- Lumina practiced on the piano, with a determination she never knew she had. Even her grandmother was surprised at her enthusiasm to try and learn Christmas tunes for the piano. As her nimble fingers went through the complex notes, chords, and measures. All of this, just to play at a Christmas party. She knew who was to blame for her new found enthusiasm though. Jack was the reason for her playing. She knew it the moment she went to his farm to put the invitation in his mailbox. The nervousness, the way her heart was beating a mile a minute. One could call it love, while rationality said nothing more than a crush. Regardless what it was called, she was determined to learn all of this and get it down perfectly. After all, she had two and a half weeks to do so. ------------------------------------- (2 1/2 weeks later) Jack sighed as he entered his home, throwing his original suitcase and a new suitcase to the floor. He had everything he needed for the Christmas party. His time at the city was great as well. Being gone for a year has you making up for a lot of lost time with family and friends. They understood his feelings perfectly, and helped him find a perfect gift for that special girl in his heart. He made his decision on who that girl was when he came into the city. Looking at his clock, it told him he had half a day to get ready, so he flopped down onto his bed and passed out. Catching up with friends and helping them out almost non-stop really wore him out. "Still." he muttered to himself with a small smile on his face. "This is sure to make her happy." ----------------------- Lumina was worried. Scratch that, she was terrified. The Christmas Party was in less than 2 hours. She had been practicing so hard for the moment that was coming soon, and even though she got all invitations back that said they were attending, she hadn't seen nor heard from Jack in weeks. She desperately prayed that he came. He was the one who encouraged her to keep playing the piano when she wanted to quit. Although the vase full of flowers had no card to them, she could tell who put them there in the first place. Most would think it was Rock, but he's too lazy. When she looked up at the clock again, she found out that half an hour passed. Knowing that she couldn't delay the inevitable, she prepared herself and went downstairs. ----------------------- Almost everyone in the Forget-Me-Not Valley was at this party. With free food, egg nog, decorations everywhere, a giant Christmas tree and a lively atmosphere, who wouldn't enjoy themselves? Just as the last apparent person came in, a stranger suddenly came through the door. His attire was that of a 1930's gangster. Black brimmed hat, sunglasses, black formal jacket, white undershirt tucked into black formal jeans, white gloves and black dress shoes. In his hands were a trumpet, some sheet music for a piano song, and a present. This stranger killed all noise when he came in, but when he whispered something into Sebastian the butler's ears, they saw the old man look at him in surprise. "Ladies and Gentleman, this is the extra entertainment we ordered for tonight to accompany Miss Lumina's piano music." he announced. That seemed to satisfy everyone else. Then the party began in earnest. It was three hours later when he heard footsteps coming from upstairs. Everyone was quiet again when Lumina made her appearance, which made more than a few guys jaws drop straight to the floor. She had worn a dress that was made by her mother for special times like these. It hugged every curve she had, while the bottom part had a silt that went down on the middle on the right and left side to show some leg, but not all. Nothing was left to imagination. "Thank you all for coming to this party. As you all know, it was this night 15 years ago that we started this tradition, and I hope you have a good time playing party games while listening to my music. Thank you." Lumina announced before she walked down the steps and took her place at the piano. It was then that she noticed the stranger sitting next to her with musical instrument in hand. "Oh, are you playing with me?" she asked. The stranger nodded before he put the mouthpiece of the trumpet to his lips and began playing "Jingle Bell Rock". Lumina happily starting playing the same tune on the piano. The mixture of her playing and the trumpet player harmony in keeping up was heaven to everyone's ears. After an hour or so of near non-stop playing, Lumina looked up at the stranger to see which song they were playing next. Said stranger was drinking a cup of water and handed her some sheet music. "Will you be my special one." Lumina read, seeing the title of the music. The stranger began playing the beginning of the tune. It was a lively jazz song. Lumina soon joined it as the couples of the valley got together for some slow dancing. It was at this point he decided to make his true appearance known. Lumina was sighing inwardly as she played the song. Jack hadn't come after all. She knew it was wishful thinking, but still.....some part of her hoped he would come. Then a glint of light caught her eyes as she continued playing. The stranger was now playing the trumpet one handed as he took off his sunglasses, revealing chocolate brown eyes. He then took off his hat, revealing spiky brown hair as well. The stranger had been Jack! Lumina squealed in delight when the guy she had been with the whole night revealed himself to be Jack. She was even happier when he put the hat on her head and put the sunglasses on her with one hand. The finished up the song as the chosen time: Midnight. "All right, Secret Santa's, exchange gifts!" Lumina announced. Everybody rushed at everybody else as presents and good fortune was passed around and given. After that, everybody started to leave, until all that was left awake in the mansion was Jack and Lumina. "Thanks Jack, for coming and playing with me." Lumina told him, taking of the sunglasses. "It wasn't easy learning how to play this thing. Took me my whole 2 and a half week vacation in the city." Jack said. "So, who was your Secret Santa?" Lumina asked. "I didn't have one. From the looks of it, neither did you." Jack sighed. "I wouldn't be so sure. Look under the Christmas Tree." Lumina pointed, where two gifts were left under it. Jack picked his up, which was from Lumina herself. Opening it, he found that she had gotten him a photo frame. The picture inside was of them hugging each other, earlier this year. "Thanks. It means a lot to me. Now open yours up. Took me forever to figure out what to get for you. Nothing seemed right when I looked at it. Jewelery, toys, music. You had it all, but I think you'll be impressed." he told her. Lumina opened up the small box containing her present. She cried tears of joy as she pulled out a blue feather and a heart shaped necklace with a picture of them on it. "So that's why you had me play that song." She realized admist tears. "It was the same song my father played to my mother before he proposed. So Lumina, will you be my special one?" Jack asked. "Yes. That was the Christmas present I was hoping for." Lumina told him before embracing him. Jack smiled as Lumina looked at him, tears still in her eyes as she kissed him. It was all worth it, gambling everything underneath the Christmas tree. The End |