VIRORO-KUN

Sunyshore City, as the name implied, was usually a fairly sunny seaside settlement, with little in the way of clouds and much less snow. But everything had an exception, as the white-coated streets of the city proved.

The young Flint Oba was feeling chilly even with three scarves over his yellow winter coat as he walked through the frozen walkways, trying not to get lost. Fortunately, he had his trusty Chimchar on his shoulder and his burning enthusiasm to keep him warm enough.

And as he spotted a familiar mop of blond hair alongside a Pikachu, a drive to fight was quickly added to the list, the boy rushing closer to his friend.

"Yo, Volkner! Merry Christmas!" Flint said, waving his gloved hand towards the other kid.

Volkner took a bit to reply, turning around with a slightly more bored expression than usual. He still raised a hand in kind to his friend. "Ah, Merry Christmas to you too."

"The atmosphere is pretty chill, ain't it? Just the way I like it, give or take several degrees." Flint shivered as he said so, but quickly countered it by beaming at his rival, fists pumped. "But you know what the best way to not think about the cold is? A Pokémon battle!"

His Chimchar emulated him, lighting up his flames and giving Volkner's Pikachu a challenging glare. Flint did the same to Volkner; they were the strongest trainers of Sunyshore City in spite of their age, and he knew that his friend was always ready for a new challenge.

For his part, Volkner looked down, sighing to himself.

"Of course." Volkner shook his head, his expression unchanging as he faced Flint again. "Sorry, I'll pass."

"Huh? Is something wrong?" Flint tilted his head, rising an eyebrow.

"What do you think?" Volkner grumbled, shooting a glare at the sleepy and cold city around them. "Everyone is too busy celebrating Christmas, singing carols and all that. There hasn't been a good trainer to fight in weeks, and it's gotten very frustrating."

Hearing that, any worry Flint had turned into boredom.

"Oh, you're in one of your 'I'm bored by life' moments." Flint sighed; that was hardly the first time life found a way to drag down his friend's mood, and he was fairly sure that wouldn't be the last.

Instead, he pumped his fists again, exuding enough enthusiasm for both of them. "All the more reason for a battle with your rival, no? I'm here, and always up for a challenge."

Volkner, however, simply shook his head. "I defeated you way too many times recently."

Flint shot him an annoyed glance.

"Come on, everyone has a downward trend! This time it will be different!"

"Sorry, but I don't feel like it will be." Volkner sighed again, turning the other way. "Just let me be. It will pass."

Without a word, Volkner and his Pikachu headed homeward, leaving Flint and Chimchar behind before they could say anything more. The redheaded trainer let his friend go, but not without frowning, arms crossed as he kicked away some snow.

"Typical Volkner. Nothing can faze him when he's feeling down." In spite of trying, Flint's frown still turned in concern as he looked up, to the falling snow making the town white. "But still... it's Christmas. Volkner shouldn't be such a Scrooge."

As he said that, out of the blue, something clicked in his mind.

"Wait a minute..." He rerun his thoughts, Volkner's behavior, and what little literature knowledge he had. And then, he grinned again, turning back towards his Pokémon. "Chimchar, I know what we should do!"

The Fire-type blinked, quickly scowling back towards his trainer. Flint's excitement was dampened just a little bit.

"Oh, don't give me that look. How many times did my plans fail?" He grinned, hands on his hips.

Chimchar looked at his fingers, counting by himself. Flint gave him a half-lidded stare.

"Very funny." He scoffed and rolled his eyes, but without losing his confidence. He smiled once more, a finger rised. "Come on, trust me a little. This is what we'll do..."

Even as the night fell over Sunyshore, the snow continued to slowly fall over the city, giving the sleepy locale an even sleepier feeling. Which, of course, was just what Volkner's already fairly low morale needed to sunk even lower, as he looked over his room's window alongside his Pikachu.

He scowled as he looked downward, towards all the people carrying presents and enjoying themselves far more than he was. It wasn't like he really hated Christmas or anything; he just wanted a challenge and for someone to truly give him the spark he craved for, and with everyone in festive mood and with little interest in Pokémon battles for the moment, there was no one but Flint that could fill that void. He knew that such a challenge would eventually come, but until then, all he could do was yawn and wait, as the holidays passed.

He absent-mindedly rubbed Pikachu's head, trying to keep his mind off of his holiday funk and towards more productive thoughts, until he heard someone knocking on the front door. Curious, the boy left his room and headed to open it, without even asking who it was.

"Yes?" he asked, only to pause right away, staring ahead of him.

Someone, dressed in a barely concealing white sheet that clearly gave away a noticeable afro and a yellow winter coat underneath, and with a noticeable and suspiciously Chimchar-shaped protrusion to the side.

The 'ghost' waved his hands in an attempt to seem eerie and scary. "Vooolkneeeer, I'm the Ghost of Christmas Paaaast..."

For a few seconds, Volkner kept staring at the newly-arrived spirit. Then, he slammed the door right to his face, and left without ceremony.

"Wha-hey, wait, open up! I'm not done here!" And just as expected, the 'ghost' started knocking again, desperately asking to enter.

As the obviously-Flint ghost kept demanding entrance, Volkner sighed to himself, going back to his room to wait him out. He had no idea what his friend had in mind, but he was involved in enough zany schemes to know how that would've ended up.

All he needed to do was wait. After all, he would eventually lose interest in trying something like that, for sure.

VIRORO-KUN

"Thanks for everything! And remember, let's have a Champion time!"

Tossing a hand up with three fingers open, the crowd around Leon went into overdrive once more, clapping and roaring his name. The Galarian Champion smiled, turning around alongside his Charizard as he waved at the crowd in the Wyndon Stadium lobby, barely restrained by the League staff as they kept cheering him on. The man finally set foot outside the tournament site and back into Wyndon proper, enjoying the Christmas lights that made the city feel even shinier than it already was.

"Whew, finally." Leon smiled, taking a deep breath of chilly air, his trusty partner thankfully keeping him warm. For as much as he enjoyed the limelight, the battles, and all the love his fans gave him, even Champions needed a break once in a while. And with the final championship of the year over, he and the rest of his team could probably afford a bit of rest.

Sure, that would require both trying to avoid being swarmed by a horde of fans, and not getting lost on the way towards his hotel room, both of which were way too likely prospects. But hey, he was used to his wacky life by now.

And so, keeping his Rotom Phone's GPS open and making sure to never leave his eye from it, Leon started walking ahead, paying attention to every single step of the road. And then slammed right into a lamppost barely two inches later.

His Charizard snickered as Leon held his aching forehead, groaning in pain. That was definitely not a Champion time.

Hoping that some sneaky fan didn't just upload a video of the fact on the internet, Leon sighed and walked on, trying to keep one eye on the road and the other on the phone. His valiant effort to reach his room without further injuries was short-lived, however.

"Hey, look who's there!" Hearing the familiar voice, Leon stopped and turned around, spotting a familiar girl on the other side of the road, dressed in a heavy travel coat and with orange hair in a sidetail. She quickly closed the distance, giving him a knowing glance that only an old friend and rival couldl

Leon smiled at her, putting the phone aside. "Hi, Sonia. Been a while!"

"It sure was." Sonia chuckled, moving closer to give Charizard a nice petting, which Leon's ace gladly appreciated. "Great performance in the latest tournament. But I don't think anyone expected you to lose."

"What can I say? I wanted to ensure everyone had a great Champion time." Leon grinned, folding his arms with just a bit of deserved vanity. "So, what brings you here in Wyndon?"

"I'm running some errands for Gran, I need to meet with Chairman Rose's secretary for some updates on the Dynamax Bands." Sonia pulled off her own Rotom Phone, checking a few information on it.

"Have some improvements been made?" Leon perked his head.

Sonia shrugged, rolling her eyes. "Beats me. I'm just the intermediary."

Leon didn't press things further, instead turning to the other side as Sonia continued to read off the information she needed. "Sorry to hear you're spending Christmas working, however."

"Not everyone is lucky, unfortunately." Sonia pursed her lips, her gaze turning colder as she kept herself buried on her task, barely attempting a smile. "Sorry if I didn't get you a present, by the way. But what do you get for the man who has everything?"

Leon turned serious as he looked over Sonia, the girl's attention still on her bag and phone, much less enthusiastic than before. He wasn't the most perceptive person out there, sure, but he knew Sonia enough to be aware of when something was eating her up. Leon couldn't be sure of what it was right there, but as a friend, there was something he could certainly do.

"There might something, actually." Leon smiled, turning in the direction where he hoped his hotel was. "I have an invitation for two at the Rose of the Rondelands' restaurant. Hop would never get here in time, and Raihan would turn the dinner into a flash mob for his fanclub, so..."

Sonia seemed surprised to hear that, blinking at him in confusion. However, she quickly gave Leon an annoyed stare in return.

"Ah, so I'm your third choice? Good to know." Sonia huffed, crossing her arms and turning the other way.

Leon gave her a half-lidded stare. "Hey, I would've called you earlier if I knew you were there."

"I'm kidding, you dummy." Sonia giggled, giving him a small bump with her elbow. She then stared him down, in pretend challenge. "I'd love to spend some time with my rival. Who knows, maybe we can have a battle too afterwards."

"I'm always up for that!" Leon grinned back at her, but kept the restraint to shake his head and stay on the topic. "But for now, I can accompany you to Rose Tower for your appointment first."

"Sure, why not. I'm sure having the Champion with me will make things go faster... and you're not going to get lost along the way."

Leon laughed at the half-true joke, and so did Sonia. They had known each other for years, ever since their time as rivals during their Gym Challenge, and the bond they shared during that time was something that couldn't be forgotten that easily, even after how far away their lives took them.

And so, the two friends headed for Rose Tower, ready to enjoy a nice Christmas time together in Wyndon.

FOX BLUEREAVER

The Kanto and Johto Elite Fours had gathered together for a grand Christmas party, like every year. One that would invariably turn out to be a huge celebration for all who attended.

However, as fun as the parties with her colleagues were, that year Lorelei turned down the invitation. After pouring some chocolate liquor on a couple of glasses, she walked towards the table where her lover, Frey, waited for her with a big smile.

"To another Christmas together," the red-haired woman said upon sitting down.

"Cheers," Frey replied before clinking glasses with her.

They both drank slowly, remaining silent as they enjoyed the city's night view. Even though it was that time of the year, cold seemed to hardly bother them, if at all.

"I'm surprised you decided not to go," Frey commented. "The Elite Four's Christmas parties are always pretty good, aren't they?"

"This year I wanted something more private," Lorelei answered. "It's been a while since we spent a Christmas alone, just the two of us."

"Well, I'm not complaining." He smirked. "I'm always there when my beloved ice nymph wants."

"Stop calling me that," she said with a smirk of her own.

"Oh? Do you prefer Water and Ice Empress now?"

Lorelei chuckled at that, before giving him a soft kiss, and drinking a bit more.

It was a tradition between them for Frey to call her "ice nymph" and her typical reply, but the Empress title was a new one. Apparently he would never let her live down that painting she got for her last birthday.

Though it wasn't that she hated the nicknames; she knew he called her that way out of endearment. It was more that, even though they'd been together for so long, she never came up with an affectionate nickname of her own to call him.

Right then Lorelei's phone went off, surprising them both. The ID caller revealed it as her mother Olga, so Lorelei quickly answered, activating the speaker so Frey could hear her too.

"Hello?"

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart!" Olga greeted her from the other side. "Everyone here in Four Island misses you!"

"I miss you guys too, Mom," Lorelei replied affectionately. "Did you receive the gifts I sent you?"

"Why yes, of course," Olga answered happily. "We're all glad you take some time to think about us, even if you're so busy. Though these aren't the best gifts your father and I could have gotten."

"Mom… we've talked about this before."

"So? You and Frey have known each other for, what, twenty years? Don't you think it's time to settle down, and maybe give us one or two grandkids? You know your father would be delighted."

Lorelei saw how Frey shook his head, covering his mouth to hold back the giggles. It wasn't the first time, neither would it be the last, that their parents would call them to talk about that. After all, having dated each other for so long, many people thought it should be enough. For the past five years, that was practically the gift they expected for their birthdays and Christmases.

"We'll do it when we're ready. You know we don't want to rush things, not to mention our jobs have… complications."

"It's always the same with you two," Olga replied, and Lorelei could almost hear brow furrowing. "Well, at least I hope you two are having a great time together."

"Oh, don't worry, we're doing wonderfully," the redhead replied. "Merry Christmas, say hi to everyone for me."

"Of course, sweetie. Merry Christmas for you and Frey too."

Lorelei ended the call, and taking another sip of her glass, let out a sigh. Frey then placed both elbows on the table and rested his head on his free hand, while giving her a deep look.

"They still don't give up, do they?"

"I can't blame them," Lorelei admitted. "They're creeping toward their sixties and fear we won't leave any descendants. Of course we will… eventually."

Neither wanted to rush things. The fact that their jobs didn't let them spend as much time together as they'd like to was one of the reasons they hadn't gotten married or had children. When that time came, they wanted to be there for their family. But until then, neither of them wanted to retire just yet.

"To a Christmas closer to our retirement, and to the day we eventually form our own family." Frey raised his now almost empty glass once more.

"Cheers," Lorelei answered,

Their day would eventually come, but until then, they'd enjoy the moments they could spend together, without the pressures of their jobs. Like now.

BRANDON369

A white snow cloak covered the Kalos region for Christmas time. In the midst of it walked a young girl with blond hair tied in a ponytail, accompanied by a Fletchling and a Froakie. Her clothes weren't particularly covering, so she was shivering, but that didn't stop her from walking across the city as she gazed at the stores.

Her name was Ciel, and that was the first Christmas she spent away from her home, since that day everything changed. One single day and one wrong choice costed her everything she had: she was forced to leave her home, her town and even the Sky Trainer Academy.

All because of those Bloodliner powers. Because of them, she was hated no matter where she went. If that boy, Fitzdane, hadn't shown up to help her then, she'd be completely alone in the world, with nobody who cared for her.

She almost let out a few tears upon remembering her father's cold glare, when he kicked her out of the house… but she quickly wiped them out. Christmas wasn't a time for sadness, and just because this year it would be different, it didn't mean it'd be bad.

"Fro, fro." The Froakie accompanying her seemed to worry upon seeing her tears, but she quickly hid them and smiled to calm him down.

"Don't worry, Froakie. I'm fine."

She smiled with amusement upon seeing Froakie. When she told her companion that she wanted to take a walk across town, he insisted on sending his Froakie along to protect her. That led her to her current mission: to find a gift for Fitzdane.

He was a rather strange boy; lonely and even timid once you got to know him, but Ciel really appreciated him. She owed him a lot for saving her, and he was literally her only human friend at the time (even if neither of them was technically quite human). Nevertheless, the idea of buying a gift for him didn't even cross her mind at first. She wasn't even aware that it was Christmas time, as she just wandered around with Fitzdane, with no destination in mind.

Then she discovered something that surprised her. She woke up one night to do her needs, but she found her friend doing something while hiding. She approached cautiously, without letting Fitzdane see her, and then she realized he was knitting something: a female sky trainer suit.

Right then, her heart was moved and for some reason, a wave of joy rushed through her for the first time in quite a while. She'd always dreamed of being a great sky trainer, but she thought her dream had died when she left her hometown and the Sky Trainer Academy.

For that very reason, she was really happy, seeing that Fitzdane was planning on giving her that suit for Christmas, and she didn't want to come back empty-handed. She'd definitely give him something just as precious… but what? She still had to figure it out.

"Flet!"

Her Fletchling's flapping snapped her out of her thoughts. Her Pokémon pointed at a glass cabinet with a blue cap. According to the description, the cap was limited-edition merchandise, a replica from the one worn by the winner of a juvenile tournament that got the media's attention. Ciel figured her friend would be happy with a cap like that, not to mention he'd look great wearing it.

Of course, she didn't have a lot of money, but she hoped it'd be enough to buy it.

"What's this?" The girl was confused upon realizing the cabinet didn't belong to a store, but to a Battle Club. As she had nothing to lose, she entered and asked the Don George for that cap.

Though the answer she got wasn't very encouraging.

"I'm afraid it's not for sale, young lass." Before Ciel could reply something, Don George proceeded to explain. "This cap is the prize for the winner in the upcoming Christmas tournament, in a couple of hours."

"I see…" Ciel resigned herself. She would have liked to take part in the tournament and win the cap, but there was a little inconvenient.

"Say, lass, aren't you a little young to have Pokémon with you?" he asked, pointing at Fletchling and Froakie.

"Me? No, you got it all wrong!" Ciel did her best to avoid getting nervous… with meager success. "These belong to my father…! I'm just looking after them and…"

"Hahaha, easy, I understand." Don George just smiled in understanding. "If you want, you can use those two to take part in the tournament."

"Wait… are you serious?"

"Of course. You want to give that cap to someone special, don't you?"

Ciel nodded, a smile forming in her face. She'd been really lucky this time. She turned to her Fletchling and Fitzdane's Froakie. With their help, she'd win that cap and have the perfect gift for her companion.

Nothing would stop her. She looked forward to see her friend's embarrassed face when he saw she had gotten a gift for him. It'd be worth every minute.

BRANDON369

Even during Christmas Eve, Melanie still had a lot of work to do.

The thick forest was still covered in snow, but Melanie knew it wasn't enough to stop some reckless trainers from trying to cross it. Even accounting for the other security measures like the lasers already set up, Melanie knew that some fools could be ingenious enough to surpass even those, and that a nasty blackout would make all the electric-powered traps as good as useless. If she wanted to keep her Bulbasaur breeding center as well as the abandoned or wounded Pokémon under her care safe, there was only one thing to do: traps.

They had to be good and elaborate enough to block or at least slow down the advance of any traveler, although clearly she couldn't do it alone. Thus, the caretaker gazed at the group of Pokémon she had in front of her: Caterpie, Oddish, Weepinbell, Staryu, Paras, and a pair of Rattata. All of them abandoned Pokémon she had to protect and care for, but they all agreed to help her with her task.

"Okay, you guys! Let's end this early." The group of abandoned Pokémon in front of Melanie gazed at her with attention, ready to get into the action. "I have many good ideas for this year, but we need to work together to make them."

The girl started delivering instructions to all Pokémon, who immediately set out to fulfill their respective tasks.

The Rattata went to chew on the ropes holding the bridge, connecting the route with the hidden village. Thus, the trap bridge was ready.

Oddish and Weepinbell threw their Leech Seeds, hiding them among the snow. Anybody unlucky enough to step on them would be in for a big surprise, getting snared among the vines and roots once they triggered them.

Paras used Dig to create big holes that he'd later cover and camouflage among the snow. Trap holes were a classic every year, as many people fell into them.

Staryu used its Water Gun all over the ground. The winter's cold would eventually freeze the water making the floor slippery. Nobody could walk it without falling on their rears.

For her part, Melanie was working along with Caterpie, using the string to create resistant nets to hide, and catch any trainer. Next, they tied it up next to a tree, ready to leave hanging the unlucky invader who sprang the trap.

Seeing the rest of the Pokémon coming back to her, she knew the job was completed, and the Christmas traps were ready. They wouldn't have to worry about anything, they could enjoy their holidays without fear of people coming close to their domain to try and catch them.

"Good job, everybody! Now we're all going to enjoy a well-deserved Christmas Eve dinner!" All of the abandoned Pokémon cheered along with her and returned home, to rest and celebrate big time.

Maybe Bulbasaur wasn't here anymore to help her. But even then, she could protect the hidden village and the Bulbasaur breeding facility from any approaching trainer. Besides, Melanie had fun creating traps. That was one of her favorite hobbies.

FOX BLUEREAVER

Clair was ready to close the Blackthorn Gym for the holidays. However, her hand hesitated before she turned the lights off and shut the doors.

She wasn't what people would call a Grinch or a Scrooge when it came to Christmas. In fact, she had fond memories of this time of the year, and while she had her misadventures in a few years, they weren't so traumatic to make her hate Christmas as a whole or the people who enjoyed it.

No, it was just for that year specifically. If it were for her, she'd rather stay working extra hours at the Gym, and maybe many trainers would appreciate having a place to earn a badge when the rest were closed.

Suddenly, she felt her cellphone vibrating in her pocket. "Hmm? Who could it be?"

She pulled out the device, and when she flipped it open she realized it was a message with a photo attached. Curious, she opened it… and had to hold back the urge to groan.

The photo showed the Goldenrod pink-haired brat, kissing with a dark-haired boy. The text caption read: "Merry Christmas, Lady Dragonbreath! Check out my boyfriend, isn't he the cutest? No one should be alone today!"

"Yeah, you've got a boyfriend to spend your holidays, and I don't. Thanks for the reminder."

She quickly deleted the message, and sighed. That only served to remind her of why she didn't feel like celebrating Christmas that year. To those who said the holidays were to spend time with the family, they definitely didn't know hers.

She was so focused on her thoughts, when she shut the doors she didn't notice someone waiting for her by the Gym's entrance, until she almost bumped into him.

"You're not looking good today, cous'." Obviously, that single word gave him away, it was Lance. "Gym troubles?"

"I wish. Those are easy to solve," she replied. "Rather… it's more than I have no plans for the holidays this year. Heck, even the Goldenrod brat's got herself a boyfriend and sent me a selfie of them kissing, go figure."

"Geez, that was a low blow," the redhead said. "So then, you haven't made any plans with anybody for Christmas? What about that kid you saved at the Decolore Islands? What's his name, Gray or something like that?"

"You're joking, right?" she replied immediately. "I mean, he's not bad to look at when he cleans up, but he's a bit too young for me."

That, and she later learned his girlfriend had been murdered, and he still hadn't gotten over that. That explained why he was so upset when she unknowingly insulted her memory. They later cleared things up and actually became good friends afterwards (rescuing him from the sea definitely helped), but from there to wanting to date him… no, she wasn't that desperate.

Besides, right now he was probably on the other side of the continent, and she had no way to contact him.

"Not that it bothers me too much," Clair said, shrugging. "You know what most guys around here think about me."

"That's because they don't really know you." he replied. "If they knew you as well as I do, they'd kill to have a date with you."

Clair sighed. The two had grown together, and Lance would always praise her, telling her she was amazing and attractive, and that those guys were the ones missing it out whenever they rejected her. She appreciated it; if it wasn't because they were related, she'd probably fall for him.

Of course, she wouldn't mention that in front of the old fossils. Just in case they could get weird ideas.

"Whatever, I think I'm gonna have to spend the holidays with the old duffs," Clair continued. "This year they'll probably try and arrange a marriage for me. What a funny prospect."

"Maybe not," Lance intervened. "The Kanto and Johto Elite Fours will have their yearly Christmas party, and you know we can bring someone over."

"You sure you want to take your cousin? Wouldn't it be better, I don't know, someone special?"

Lance simply shrugged. Of course, there was that; being a secret agent definitely left little if any room for dating.

Then again, if the alternative was to spend Christmas with the old fossils, maybe going to a party with her favorite cousin would ensure she wouldn't bore to death. That cheered her up a bit.

"What the heck, let's get going," she finally said.

Lance let his Dragonite out, and they both hopped on his back. Holding on tight, they took off and flew towards the Indigo Plateau, leaving Blackthorn behind.

Clair managed to smile to herself. With luck, maybe one of Lance's buddies would have brought someone she could encounter under the mistletoe. If only to send a selfie of her own to Whitney to pay her back for her message.

FOX BLUEREAVER

Some would find it weird to visit a graveyard of all places during Christmas. But Katie had a very good reason to be there.

"Merry Christmas, John," she said as she placed a Christmas flower crown over the tombstone. "Here I am, as I promised."

The old saying about how you never know what you have until you lose it, Katie knew it also applied to people. To her, John Archer had been a good friend, but also a great rival, given that he was an exceptional trainer. They faced each other thrice: he won the first, she won the second, and on the third they tied. They were set to face each other at the Hoenn League to break the tie, but they were both knocked out of the tournament earlier, so they promised to meet each other next year for the rematch.

Alas, it was not meant to be.

She now regretted not having treated him more as a friend, especially considering that he'd always been very nice to her. He always said he wanted them to be friends with each other, but no, she was more interested in competing against him, no matter what he said. Why couldn't she value it more?

Especially when she found out somebody murdered him in his sleep. Who could have done something like that, and against him of all people? Who would kill a kind and mild-mannered boy like him who'd never hurt anybody?

"I'm really sorry, I couldn't make it this year. But the next year I will, and I'll bring the trophy as a Christmas gift for you. I promise."

She'd win the Hoenn League for the both of them. To honor that battle they couldn't have as they had promised to each other.

VIRORO-KUN

Rushing through the dark corners of Wyndon's side streets, the soot-covered Fire-type ran the plan through his head once again. This would've been harder than his usual raids at the scone shop: he would be alone, infiltrating the city's finest bakery, all to get what he needed. It would've been hard for a professional thief, and even more for a Pokémon growing up on the streets. But no one ever said that Scorbunny didn't love a challenge.

Breaking in was an easy job after days of searching for an emergency exit, but he knew his dirty footprints would give away his presence easily. And just as expected, he soon found the way to the kitchen barred by at least half a dozen guards, all keeping an eye on a different part of the corridor. Scorbunny smirked; that was where the fun part started.

He pulled off his pebble, juggling it with his foot a couple times. He scanned the place, aimed for the right spot, and kicked the pebble with all his strength.

The pebble ricocheted all around the place, jolting everyone to attention, until it hit one of the guards straight in the head.

"Ow!"

"You okay?"

"Where did this rock come from?"

Scorbunny took another quick look at the corridor, taking note of the path and then leaping forward, right on the aching guard's head. He giggled at the assembled guards and offered his trademark greeting, slapping his butt and pulling his eyelid-down while blowing a raspberry.

"What the-"

"How did this Scorbunny come-Oof!" The Fire-type foot prevented the man from continuing as he jumped on his face, springboarding to a nearby corner just as a couple guards rushed at him. They almost managed to catch up to him, but a Double Kick was all Scorbunny needed to blast them away and propelling himself further on the corridor. He slid under another guard and sprung forward to the ceiling, Double Kicking straight inside the next room under the rather bewildered eyes of the security.

Scorbunny snickered at the guards and slammed the doors shut in front of the humans, jumping to the side to toss some trays and boxes ahead of the entrance just as the guards started to work in forcing it open. If the Fire-type calculated everything correctly, he probably would have only three to four minutes before they finally managed to gain access again.

The soot-covered Fire-type turned around, taking in the sight of one of the most renown kitchens of the entire Galar region, now completely at his disposal. The starter grinned at himself and stretched his fingers, already reminding himself of his purpose. He couldn't afford to fail, by any means necessary.

The trio of Nickit stared back at Scorbunny with quite puzzled expressions as he finally revealed himself to them, his comrades and friends seemingly unsure of what to say. It took several seconds before one of them edged closer, blinking all the while.

"Uhm... Boss, what happened to you?" he asked, experimentally poking at him. Or rather, the stuff he had all around himself.

Scorbunny tried hard not to roll his eyes. Yeah, he knew that tossing himself into a half-ready cake, rush out of a window and then place all the icing and frosting as the guards pursued him was probably a very stupid plan looking back on it, but he also knew that it was crazy enough that nobody would bother preparing for it. And he was right!

Sure, the way his friends were looking at him in utter bewilderment was making him wonder if he didn't just make a fool of himself, but for them, he would've done that and much more. They were his family, after all, and that was the day humans always celebrated with the people they were close to.

Scorbunny smiled, grabbing some chunks of his makeshift Christmas tree-based frosting, offering it to the Nickit. "Merry Christmas, guys! I got this from the bakery just for us!"

The trio looked at it tentatively, their inquisive look making the Scorbunny feel uneasy. That lasted all of a second, however, as his pals finally came closer and took him into a hug, biting chunks of the cake around him. Scorbunny's smile widened, replying to the hug almost instantly.

And so, Scorbunny's little gang enjoyed their cake in peace, in their little corner of Wyndon away from everyone else. They had each other and something to share, and for the Christmas night, that was everything they could ask for.

BRANDON369

Even during Christmas season, crime never rested. For that same reason, he would watch the streets to keep everything calm.

People in the region knew him as the peerless Jimmy Ray, protector and vigilante of Nimbasa City. He was none other than the most powerful and unbeatable superhero in all Unova… No, maybe even all over the world. Though for some of those people he was just a weirdo in a Watchog costume, soon they would all know what he was capable of.

After all, he'd been blessed with the power to speak to Patrat… Well, actually he could speak to other Pokémon, but Patrat were the only ones who obeyed him. Maybe wearing a Watchog costume helped with that.

As the great hero he was, Jimmy Ray was watching across the rooftops and had placed several of his Patrat to do the same with their Keen Eye. Maybe Christmas was a merry time of the year, but many thieves would take the chance to sneak into houses disguised as Santa Claus to steal people's belonging. The hero could only imagine the face of deception in those poor kids who awaited Santa's gifts and saw how, instead of leaving them something, stole their things.

But that wouldn't happen, not during the watch of the great Jimmy Ray and his Patrat!

Right then, one of the Patrat approached with worry and hopped onto his shoulder to inform of the situation.

"What's the matter, Number 9?" The Pokémon began muttering in his language, although Jimmy Ray could perfectly understand it. "Really?! Number 6 and Number 3 found a suspect?! I'll go immediately, you gather the others!"

The Patrat nodded and ran off to fulfill the instruction. Meanwhile, Jimmy Ray didn't miss a beat and ran off in all fours, while performing acrobatics to jump from roof to roof. As the efficient hero he was, he wouldn't waste a second to solve the crisis.

Right then he reached several of his Patrat, who showed him what was going on: a man in a Santa Claus costume was atop a house's roof, carrying a large back. But that thief wouldn't fool the great hero: that was a fake beard alright.

"Alright! Number 28, you'll lead them!" The aforementioned Patrat nodded. "Let's try the Wayland formation we've been practicing!"

In just a moment, the disguised thief was caught off-guard, as the Pokémon hopped onto the roof and he was now surrounded by no less than forty Patrat.

"What the hell's going on here?!" Before the thief could protest any further, the Patrat Number 28 gave the order and a group of his fellows charged against the thief, climbing all over him and making him fall off into the snow.

Jimmy Ray smiled at the success of his mission and approached his team, congratulating them as the Patrat cheered on a new victory. At the hero's command, they removed the thief's fake beard, and the felon was too shocked to pose any resistance.

"Your crimes are over, thief." He smiled confidently as he saw some Patrat hopping over his shoulders and head. "You might fool some people with that beard, but not the great Jimmy Ray. You're not the real Santa Claus!"

"What's wrong with you?! I'm just…" But the thief couldn't talk, as one of Patrat slapped him.

"Silence, criminal! It's time for you to return what you stole." The hero then put a hand into the bag, only to pull out… wrapped gifts? "Hey, this is…"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you, moron!" The man seemed quite angry. "This is my house! I just wanted to give my children a little surprise!"

"Oh…" The hero was left pondering for a moment about what to do upon such revelation. The man was rightfully angry as he clearly wasn't a thief. He exchanged a few glances with his Patrat and then at the man. "Maybe we can help you with that?"

That Christmas, the man's children were certain they had been visited by Santa Claus and they'd never forget it. Neither would they forget the army of Patrat who helped Santa.

VIRORO-KUN

People often said that being famous only had drawbacks with not enough benefits to make up for it; that being the constant center of attention, adored and scrutinized in equal measures, would eventually prove to be more trouble than it was worth. If that saying was true, then Gordie was definitely the exception to the rule.

He loved to bask into the spotlight, showing off and delivering a good spectacle in front of an enthusiastic crowd, driving them into a frenzy with his trainer skills. And knowing that his fans loved him back managed to make even the most annoying losses worth it. As one of Galar's most popular Gym Leaders, he had a duty to ensure his fanbase got the love it deserved; after all, he would've never made it where he was without their support.

And that was why the Rock-type specialist was spending the Christmas League reading the gargantuan amount of fan mail his admirers sent him, ranging from serious praises and commentary of his recent tournament performance against Kabu and Raihan to fans admiring his fashion sense and (he hoped) semi-serious marriage prospects, to the occasional cheeky comments about his ace Pokémon and Father Christmas' gifts to naughty kids. Most of the mail managed to bring a smile to Gordie's face, adjusting his blue shades as he turned to his reading companion.

"Looks like you've gotten pretty popular, Coalossal." He grinned at the huge lump of coal, before framing him with his fingers, contemplating his form. "We need to definitely work on your introduction for the next League season. Perhaps you could try backflipping on entrance, too..."

Coalossal widened his eyes, quickly waving his hands at him. Gordie chuckled, turning his attention back to the mail. He would think of something else in due time.

He continued to sifle through the mail, discarding the odd advertising mail that made its way through it and enjoying all the honest things his fans had to say about him. At least, until one specific letter caught his attention. A white enveloped sealed with a symbol he was way too familiar with; the one of the other famous Gym in Circhester, with whom he constantly dealt with for a spot in the Major Division.

The one led by Melony, Ice-type specialist. And regrettably, his mother.

Gordie's gaze turned sour, wondering what the hell she would want from him at that time of the year. He knew what it could be, but he would rather ignore it.

He briefly contemplated the idea of just tossing the mail in the fire, but ultimately his curiosity won out, opening the mail and reading its content.

Hello, how's my favorite Gym Leader? I wanted to congratulate you for your recent tournament performance. You sure showed Raihan that your Rock-types can withstand any kind of weather! You have turned into a quite fine specialist of your type, and I'd love to test my skills against you. Let's try to arrange a friendly match, one of these days.

Your sister was planning on a Christmas dinner with all the family, and I thought it would be a lovely idea to take part in it. I'm sure they'd be happy if you could be there. Think about it, alright? I know you have a career to think about, but your family loves you as well.

Regardless of your decision, I wish you a Merry Christmas! I'm sure you'll do great next year!

- With love, your Mother.

Reading it, Gordie was left speechless. Sure, his mother had always flipped between heavy appreciation and stoic and strict demeanor, but after all the discussions they had and the effect their fight had on their city, seeing her being so affectionate still managed to catch him offguard. Definitely, absolutely not enough for him to ever forgive all the times she nagged about following on her footsteps, but perhaps just a little. Remotely. Potentially.

Gordie sighed, contemplating the offer in the letter. He really couldn't remember the last time he met his mother face to face, much less the rest of his family. For as much as he loved his line of work, it gave him little time to spend with the people close to him. But at the same time, he had no idea if he even wanted to see his mother after everything that went down between them.

He let the possibility stew for a few seconds, unsure about what to do. And then, he finally sighed, shaking his head. There was only one right choice to make.

"... Oh, whatever." Gordie sat up, dusting off his suit as he turned back to his partner. "Let's go to our old house, Coalossal."

Coalossal appeared surprised, only to then giving his trainer a cheeky grin. Gordie grumbled, hating how he was seeing right through him.

"No, we're not going to visit my mother, we're visiting my siblings, where my mother might possibly be. That's different!" The Rock-type specialist huffed, passing a hand through his hair, almost convincing himself of his own words.

Thankfully, his Pokémon didn't press things further, as Gordie brought his good jacket and prepared himself for the night, his ace Pokémon at his side.

As one of Galar's most popular Gym Leaders, he had a duty to ensure his fanbase got the love it deserved. And whether he liked it or not, his mother would always be his number one fan.

BRANDON369

Snow was falling all over the Johto region, and many kids came out to play and have fun, either building a snow Snorlax, sliding downhill with their sleds or starting snowball wars.

One of them was a little girl no older than eleven, with bluish hair tied in a ponytail with a red bow and green eyes. Her name was Ayumi and she loved to explore her surroundings, leading her to walk into the small forest in her hometown's outskirts, although always careful so as to not go too deep or get lost. And then, she saw something that got her attention.

"Come on, easy. I'm not going to hurt you."

She found a small and lonely Pichu, who was trying to hide herself inside a hollow tree. She was clearly scared, giving off sparks from her cheeks. That was a clear sign that she shouldn't upset her, since Pichu weren't very good at containing their electricity and Ayumi didn't want to end charred.

Yet she kept insisting. "Come on, get out of there little one."

Normally Ayumi would have gone and left the little Pokémon in peace, but this time she couldn't do that. Even though that Pichu remained on her guard, she was shivering in the cold and it was clear that hollow tree wouldn't protect her for the rest of the winter.

She tried to extend her hand slowly to hold her, but she quickly had to pull it away when Pichu gave off more sparks. Having no other choice, Ayumi gazed into her eyes deeply and for a moment, her green eyes flashed. Once it ended, all the fear that Pichu had vanished, but she was still mistrustful and didn't want to approach the girl.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a friend." Ayumi tried to smile to get her trust. "My name's Ayumi Cinder, and I'm here to help."

Even somewhat mistrustful, the small Pichu left the tree and approached slowly. Ayumi patted her head and that seemed to calm her enough to allow the girl to carry her.

"Now that's better." The girl used her coat to warm the Pichu. "You're more comfortable now, aren't you?"

The Pokémon seemed content now, and cuddled herself into Ayumi's arms to warm herself up. The girl, for her part, gazed around. Pichu usually lived in groups along with several Pikachu and occasionally Raichu, however, there was none of them in the nearby area.

Judging by the size of that Pichu, she probably hatched recently, and if she left her alone she'd probably end as the snack of some Murkrow or Ekans, if the winter didn't do her in first.

"Your family left you?" The rodent nodded. "My father left me when I was a baby too. But now I have a new dad and he's very nice to me. Maybe you can start a new family too."

The Pokémon cuddled even more into her arms until she fell asleep. Ayumi took her to her home; maybe she was still too young to have her own Pokémon, but she was certain her dad would help her raise the Pichu. Besides, she'd never reject a new family member to celebrate Christmas.

BRANDON369

"Yahooo! "C'mon guys! Let's make some noise!"

If there was something the Bridge Bike Gang was known for, that was their loudness. Anybody hearing them, pedaling across the Cycling Road in the bridge to Sunnytown, invariably ran for the hills, for they were the most dangerous gang across the region. And they never stopped, even during Christmas time.

As the gang's leader, Chopper went ahead of the group, happily riding his new bike for the first time. The Bridge Gang had a philosophy for all its members to follow by the letter: live free on their bikes and do whatever they pleased, with nobody to order them around…

Unfortunately, said philosophy didn't leave them a lot of money to spend Christmas. Albeit that was also the reason why Chopper was surprised that morning when Tyra woke him up with a surprise.

…

"I don't believe this, Tyra! Is that…"

"Go ahead, boss. All yours." The girl folded her arms and smiled upon seeing her boss' excited expression. "Everyone in the gang saved the money to buy it, although I picked the model myself."

Without wasting a second, Chopper practically jumped in joy upon seeing his gift. It was a new shiny bicycle, designed with the image of the Legendary Pokémon Zapdos, making it look the more intimidating and fast. The gang's leader was certainly happy with his Christmas gift.

"I've got the best gang in the world! You guys are the greatest!" Chopper was so happy he tried to grab his friend into a hug, although she quickly shoved him away, already used to that.

"Easy there, boss, the gang's leader deserves the best bike in the group."

"Okay, Tyra! Call everyone! I'm gonna ride this baby right away!"

…

And thus, now they were riding across the Cycling Road. Of course, Chopper had other things in mind. His gang had spent every penny to buy him that Christmas gift, and as their leader, he felt obligated to return the favor.

His plan was to go find some wandering trainer trying to cross the bridge, and then challenge them to get some extra cash. With his powerful Golem, he would have no trouble beating any opponent, and with luck they'd have enough money to buy a Christmas cake and split it among everyone for the Eve's dinner.

Then, Tyra approached on her own bike to talk to him. "Hey boss, I don't think we'll find anybody on the road. We're probably the only ones crazy enough to ride our bikes during a snowy day."

"You talked too soon, dear Tyra. Check that out!"

Tyra raised the look and saw what her boss was pointing at. In the distance there was a lone bike in the middle of the road, with an older man next to it. He looked like a rather elegant businessman, probably some rich guy of sorts. Just what they were looking for.

They quickly surrounded him with their bikes, not giving him any room to escape. Right then, Chopper approached the man, who seemed rather puzzled.

"I think we haven't been introduced yet," he said, taking off his classes for intimidation.

"What?" The man seemed confused, and somewhat scared at the same time.

"You're not going to cross this bridge without a proper introduction."

"And by the way, by 'introduction' we mean a Pokémon battle," Tyra cleared.

However, much to the gang's shock, the man didn't even try to reply or defend himself. He simply kneeled on the snow and began to cry; meanwhile Chopper and Tyra gazed at each other, unsure as to what to think about it.

"I can't go anywhere even if I wanted to!" the man cried out. "My bike's ruined!"

The gang members then realized in which state the man's bike was, with its wheels completely busted. Clearly it wasn't made to break through the snow.

"Hey, easy." Chopper came over and gave him a few pats on the back. "It's not that bad."

"It's not that bad?! I'm going to fail her again! I won't be able to fulfill my promise!"

The guy was crying out loud, even dripping some snot, so Chopper offered him a handkerchief so he could le blow his nose. Tyra approached, with some annoyance, wondering what they should do, even though not even Chopper expected something like this to happen.

"Why is it so important to cross the bridge?"

"I… I'm a busy man, you know?" The man calmed down a bit before telling his story. "I have to work very hard for the whole year, from town to town, far away from home. That's why I can never see my little daughter, poor girl is all alone the whole year, no matter how much I'd love to spend more time with her. That's why I promised I'd come home for Christmas, that we'd spend the holidays together…

But I broke that promise! Our Christmas is ruined, and my little girl will hate me!"

Everyone in the Bridge Gang was left speechless as they listened to the guy's story. Tyra was clearly surprised, although Chopper had some tears in his eyes.

"That's why you're out in the middle of this snow?" Tyra asked, with clear respect for the declaration.

"Incredible! That's what you call a real cyclist!" Chopper turned to his gang. "Listen everyone, we're going to escort him there, with style!"

"What are you saying?" the confused man asked.

"Hop onto my bike, sir," the gang leader said with a smile. "We'll take you to your daughter."

"Thank you! Thank you, young man! I'm really grateful!"

All the bikers cheered on, before riding their own bikes to accompany their boss in this important Christmas mission. Meanwhile, Tyra just sighed with a smile. Quite often Chopper would jump to the gun in decisions like this.

But that was the reason she respected him so much. The Bridge Gang couldn't ask for a better boss.

VIRORO-KUN

Agatha tapped her feet several times, looking over to a nearby clock with a rather heavy scowl on her face. As a shadow pooled near her and Tony popped out of it, the Ghost-type Elite Four looked more annoyed than surprised.

"You're late. Did you have some trouble with one of your little pacifying attempts?" she asked, stomping her cane groundward.

Tony shook his head; the Gengar wished he could go in more detail, but with no way to talk outside of intruding Agatha's dreams there wasn't much he could do.

Agatha's expression quickly softened however, turning into a sardonic grin. "Good to know. With how hard your absences can make some battles nowadays, you better be doing a good job."

Tony rolled his eyes, almost muttering back at her, but the Grimm siblings quickly shared a smile to each other. Tony knew that his sister was aware that he loved being her ace Pokémon and didn't want to stop doing it, but his current role as a pacifier of wild Pokémon was something he loved doing, and that helped make his current existence feel less like a curse. It made him happy, and they both knew it.

Agatha quickly turned around, looking at her surroundings. "So, did you bring that guy with you as well?"

Tony did the same, eyebrow rised, and found no one around the two. Weird, he made extra sure to give him the right directions and everything; where could he have gone now?

His queries, thankfully, turned out to be rather short-lived.

"May you be referring to me, ma'am?" Both Grimm siblings faced the same way, where a rather good-looking and sharp-dressed man around Agatha's age stood, making an elegant bow in Agatha's direction.

The elderly trainer checked him out, before she smirked at her little brother. "Is this your friend, Tony? You didn't tell me he was such a dashing gentleman."

The Gengar shoot her a glare. The man didn't seem perturbed at all, coming closer and kissing Agatha's hand. "Indeed I am. It's a pleasure and a honor to meet an authority on Ghost-type such as yourself, Mrs. Grimm."

"Well well..." Agatha chuckled, almost amused by the proceedings.

The attempted courtship was suddenly halted as Tony fired a Shadow Ball in the gentleman's direction, the man barely jumping out of the way and losing his disguise in the meantime, revealing his true gasseous form for all to see.

"Hands off! She's my sister, you know!" Tony scowled towards Gastly, arms crossed.

Gastly floated closer, scowling back at him. "Come on, I was just trying to make a nice impression! You sure lack in manners, for a negotiator!"

"I'm not taking lectures about manners from someone who cons people for a living."

"I told you already, I'm an interactive storyteller!"

Agatha laughed once more, walking between the two debating Ghost-types. Even if she could only hear Gastly's side of the conversation, Tony was sure she got the gist of what was going on.

"I already knew that you were a Gastly, anyway." The woman considered the true shape of the Ghost-type with interest. "Sure didn't expect the Maiden's Peak Ghost to be just a scammer, however."

"Hey, Rhian is as real as it gets. I just keep her memory alive... for a moderate price."

Agatha smiled just a bit, shifting the topic slightly. "Tony told me that you helped him out in finding his current calling. I really wanted to thank you for that."

"You're welcome, but I didn't do anything important, really." Gastly smiled, eyeing Tony at his side. "Your brother decided to do this on his own. He's the protagonist of his own tale, through and through."

Tony scratched his neck, blushing profusely. He didn't think to really deserve the compliments, but he was happy to hear them all the same, even as Agatha chuckled at his expense as a result. He quickly recomposed himself, however, and cleared his throat to give himself a tone.

"That's not the only reason I called you here for, though." Tony smiled, eyeing the League headquarters in the distance. "You see, there's going to be an Elite Four Christmas Party today, and guests are allowed. Agatha always refused to bring someone else because she always counted me as her guest and Samuel usually got a honorary invitation, but given I don't quite count..."

Gastly was quick to put two and two together. He widened his eyes in shock. "Wait, you're inviting me?"

"Why not? We're friends, after all. I'd like to spend some time together." Tony's smile grew wider. "Plus, Lance decided to put a ban on alcoholic drinks after certain incidents..."

He shot a glare at Agatha, and even without context, she understood enough to reply with a frown. Tony giggled, and turned back to Gastly. "So, I think we could use some entertainment from the best interactive storyteller out there."

"Oh, going for flattery, heh?" Gastly smirked, floating upwards in thought. "This is fairly new. I'm used to be the host of the parties, but being a guest of honor is a whole new thing for me. I accept!"

The Ghost-type twirled on himself, taking on the elderly gentleman's form again, giving a bow to the Grimm siblings.

"I shall be the finest guest the illustrious Agatha Grimm ever brought with her." He walked forward, offering the woman a hand. "May I lead the way, ma'am?"

Agatha gave yet another amused chuckle, accepting the hand. "Why not? I sure appreciate the attention."

They walked forward on the way to the League headquarters, leaving behind a rather annoyed Tony. He shook his head and tried to ignore Gastly's attempts to flirt with his sister, however, following along the two with a happy smile on his face.

With Gastly around, he was fairly sure the party would be a fun time. That year had been filled with great developments, and he was sure the next ones would only be better.

And for Tony Grimm, that was the most important thing of all.

BRANDON369

Commerce City was one of the most crowded places in Kanto, known by its tall buildings and skyscrapers.

However, the city was also home of an urban legend: the Red Lightning. There was no one in the city who didn't know about this mysterious being, who hid his identity with a cape and finished their foes off with a Hyper Beam. Nobody knew for sure if he was a human, Bloodliner or Pokémon, but everyone was afraid to run into him…

Little did everyone know, the one behind the Red Lightning was a little nine-year-old girl. Her name was Luna, the heir of a millionaire family who watched from her garden, in a manor atop a skyscraper, monitoring the Red Lightning from her computer.

"You still haven't found anybody, Scizor?" The girl watched the results on the screen, while the Red Lightning (who was actually a Scizor), patrolled the streets, jumping from a building to another. "Of course, I guess nobody would be out during Christmas time… Surely everyone must be partying with their parents."

Some tears poured out of Luna's eyes as she imagined that. Her parents were famous and renowned inventors, but they were always out of town, presenting their projects in other cities and even regions. They'd always leave her alone, and evidently, Christmas was no exception.

Her father had promised he'd spend the holidays with her, and truth be told, she was excited about it… But he had to cancel at the last minute. It was Christmas Eve and there was no trace of him, again.

But Luna wiped out her tears. Who cared if she had to spend Christmas alone? Who cared if her family was away? Certainly not her. Instead of having a lonely and depressing Christmas dinner, Luna preferred to send her Scizor to patrol the city and seek for a trainer to fight and have some fun for a bit.

She had equipped him herself with a complex audiovisual system of her own invention, to keep communication between them and give him instructions under the identity of the Red Lightning. Unfortunately, they didn't have much luck, it was late into Christmas Eve and there wasn't a single trainer walking across the streets. Luna had no choice but to sigh with resignation.

"You better come back home, Scizor. It's getting late and we should go back to sleep." The Pokémon nodded through the communicator, but right when Luna was about to turn off her computer, the sensor in Scizor's mask reacted to something. "Wait a second, Scizor. What's that?"

Luna then zoomed in through the camera, and what she saw surprised her: a gang of bikers were entering the city, all of them trainers. With leather clothes and dyed hair, the classic gang members whom nobody told their 80s fashion was long dated. Presumably they had come to cause riots in town taking advantage of the holidays.

Luna smiled to herself. People like them deserved a greeting from the Red Lightning.

"Get ready, Scizor. We're making a grand entrance." Her Pokémon was ready to use the wind to swoop in closer, but then… "Wait! Hold on a second!"

Luna rubbed her eyes, unable to believe what her camera showed. Could it be true. Riding on the apparent leader's bike, there was a man who clearly didn't belong to the gang, as he was dressed in a suit and tie. Once she saw him closer, Luna held her chest with an indescribable joy, unable to stop the tears pouring out of her eyes.

"Daddy…"

It was her father, the same who promised to spend the holidays by her side. Making some quick calculations in her computer, she confirmed the biker gang was riding towards her house. Her father was on his way!

"Quick, Scizor! Get back home! We've got a lot to do!"

Once she got confirmation from her Pokémon, she closed her laptop and went inside her house. She had a lot of things to prepare, so she ran to get help from her butler. They had to prepare a Christmas Eve dinner for her father's arrival. They would celebrate with delicious food together…

She would also invite the bikers who brought her father in time. It was the least she could do to thank them.

PARTNER555

Elizabeth Snyder sat on her couch exhausted, as her infant daughter was finally asleep. While motherhood was stressful, she's still glad she put her career on hold so she could actually be a mother to her baby Betty.

Stil, she had to wonder. Elizabeth had a lot of money saved up from a lifetime of modelling since she was a kid, and she still found it hard to take care of her baby. So how did single mothers far less well off than her do it?

"Tula?" her Pokemon said as he pointed to the stack of presents in her apartment. Her Galvantula had wanted her to go through those for days now.

"Okay okay," she said. "It's not like I wasn't thinking about all the other single mothers of the world."

Galvantula laughed before he settled down next to her daughter's cot.

Shaking her head, she took one and read the card. It was from Palermo, whom she became friends with when her agent convinced her to try out Kalos' Pokemon Performer scene for a year.

Hi Liz

I hope you're having a good Christmas. I know I am.

Have your parents forgiven you yet for having a kid out of wedlock?

Well, they did, eventually. She knew her parents forgave her when they held their granddaughter in their arms, with Betty laughing at the faces they were making. Not to mention all the toys they bought for Betty. Half the Christmas presents were from them.

Anyway, I want you to know that if you need any help, I'm here for you, and so are all your friends.

Elizabeth knew that all too well. That she a famous model got pregnant without knowing the father's name and barely remembering what he looked like after that one-night stand was a huge scandal that the tabloids would have leapt on with gusto. The damage control her friends did was the only thing that saved her from the scrutiny and humiliation.

I wish you the best and a Merry Christmas.

Palermo

Elizabeth smiled. Maybe that was how all the other single mothers did it. Having a supportive family and friends around did help her a lot.

"Merry Christmas Palermo," she said. She then looked at her baby. "Merry Christmas Betty dear."

VIRORO-KUN

Staying on the side of the large room, Bruno took a long look at the rest of the guests that came for the annual Elite Four Christmas party of the Kanto and Johto region. Even with Lorelei deciding to skip it to spend some time privately with her boyfriend, there was no denying that there were still a fairly noticeable amount of people gathered there. He could see Lance and his cousin Clair discussing their recent challenges, Agatha and her ex-protegé Karen trading some tips, while Samuel Oak occasionally chimed in and her own Gengar spent time with the guest she brought over, a rather funny-looking old man regaling the guests with interesting tales, with Will in particular lending an ear. All while President Goodshow and Electra Artisan discussed some details of the incoming Indigo Plateau Conference.

The burly man couldn't help but smile. One way or another, they all had found their niche, their little family of blood or choice, to stick with and spend a good time together. It was something he was happy with, for sure, but that only reminded him of himself, and more specifically, what he left behind several years ago.

He observed his drink thoughtfully, glad that nobody was approaching him. He was never that open to talk about his past, and even in most interviews he tended to only speak of his rigorous training alongside his Pokémon, never delving in his private life. He had been so thorough that very few Alolans would've probably recognized who he was at this point, as a high level member of another region's Elite Four.

Yet, not thorough enough to avoid receiving a letter from his father some time before, asking him to try and meet again to mend their previous mistakes, and try to be a family again. A noble, almost selfless desire, and one that a selfish person like him didn't deserve in the slightest.

Regardless of his own desire to be strong away of his father's shadow, he still left his own family behind to do so, only sharing the occasional letter and sending part of his earnings back for sustainment. He did glean part of what was going on through the replies he received, and his wife seemed to still understand his choice, but Bruno refused to believe she held no contempt for him.

For all his discipline, his strength, and his efforts to be a better fighter and trainer, he still hadn't found the courage to go back. He had attained exactly what he longed for when he left Melemele Island, and he was afraid that coming back would show him the ugly truth; that nothing he did was worth leaving everything behind. Especially the son that he never got to know, born several months after he left.

Bruno gripped at his glass, strong enough to crack it. He always wondered if he should've returned home the moment he heard the news, leaving his training behind and accept that he took a stupid decision back when he could still make up for it. A time long gone by now.

"I'm sorry," he muttered to himself, wondering what his son could even think of a father like him. He could only hope his old man was a good example for the boy.

Perhaps, one day he would've finally challenged his doubts. He could've spent his time with his old man, his wife, and his son, pretending to be a family for the first time, maybe spend a Christmas together like Lorelei and Frey decided to do.

He could've tried to reply to Hala's letter now. Ask how Hau was doing. Maybe, that was how his redemption could start.

A small smile parted the man's lips. Maybe he didn't deserve to return just yet, but he could at least try to earn it, slowly but surely, with the same effort and discipline he used every day in his training.

And maybe, one day his dream would turn into reality that way.

FOX BLUEREAVER

Pallet's Post Office was a bit short of staff that day, being all stuffed with packages sent for the townspeople. Considering how many kids in town awaited their gifts, they were lucky some people volunteered to help ease the burden so they could close in time to go celebrate with their families.

Among them, a certain black-haired trainer with a Pikachu, and a certain orange-haired Water Pokémon specialist, both of whom had spent the afternoon going across the town's streets to deliver packages.

"Hey, you didn't have to do this," Ash said. "After all this workout with Iris, I could have carried all this myself."

"Are you kidding? After all the things you had to carry for us during the Princess Festival, it's only fair that someone helps you now," Misty replied.

Admittedly, while that was true it was only half the reason. She did want to help Ash on good will; the fact that she got to spent some time alone with him was a bonus, no matter that she had to carry a bag full of packages from one corner to another across Pallet Town. In the meantime, Anabel and Iris had stayed with Delia at the restaurant, helping her set up the last-minute decorations for the Christmas party.

Many people said giving was better than receiving, and on Christmas Eve, Misty understood what it meant. The kids were quite happy when they got their gifts, and that warmed the redhead's heart to no end.

"By the way, Ash, that muffler looks nice on you."

"You think so?" Ash held the aforementioned muffler, black with blue lightning bolts and even had his name written on the edge. "I got it on my last birthday, before I began my journey."

"Your mom gave it?"

"No, it was…" He paused, and Misty noticed he seemed to try and raise it to cover his face. "From Serena. She sent it to me."

"Oh, I see. That's… very considerate of her," the redhead said.

Again, that little sting of jealousy she felt whenever Serena came up in their conversations. Of course, it wasn't like she hated her: the way Ash spoke of her made it clear she was a very sweet person and someone she'd love to meet and befriend.

And if she felt something for him too, could Misty blame her for appreciating Ash's qualities the same way she did?

"Well, here's the last street," Ash pointed forward. "Ten houses to deliver packages and we'll be done."

"Great, because I can't wait for us to go back and start the party."

If Ms. Ketchum's Christmas parties were as good as the one she had to welcome Ash after he came back home, Misty wouldn't like to miss it for the world. That woman surely knew how to have fun.

…

About half an hour later going from house to house, Misty had run out of packages to deliver. Ash still had a few when they reached the last house, which Misty quickly saw was the biggest they had seen in all the town. Ash explained it was the house where the Mayor's family lived, so it made sense that it was that big.

Ash ringed the bell and they waited for a bit, until a boy with dark green-bluish hair, looking a bit younger than Ash, opened up.

"Yeah, what do you want? Ah, it's you, Ash, what brings you around here?"

"Merry Christmas, Gilbert." Ash pulled the last packages out of the bag. "Special delivery, these are for you and your parents. Mind if we leave them here with you?"

"Sure, I'll keep them safe," the boy said, not crossing the doorway and giving Misty a cursory glance for some reason.

She waited while Ash handed Gilbert the boxes and the clipboard so he could sign to confirm the delivery. All the while the boy continued to glance at them and looking like he was trying to hold back the giggles for some reason. She didn't pay any mind, though: she had other things in mind and they were about to finish that little job.

"Done, thanks very much," Gilbert said, handing Ash the clipboard back. "And by the way… I would step away a little if I were you."

"Why?" a confused Ash asked.

Gilbert didn't answer, instead just pointed upwards before he closed the door. Ash and Misty looked up to the ceiling above them and they quickly understood.

"That's…"

"Mistletoe?"

Suddenly Misty knew why Gilbert was laughing, and her face started burning so hot, she doubted the winter's chill would affect her in the least. One glance at Ash and she knew he was the same way upon dawning on the implications.

Pikachu, on the other hand, seemed to snicker at them and tried to prod Ash by tapping him in the head, which didn't help one bit.

They didn't have to follow a stupid tradition if he didn't want to, of course. Even if she wouldn't mind too much…

"Um… well, nobody's watching now," Ash said with a nervous voice. "Do we make it… quick and just on the cheek?"

"Hum… yeah, sounds good to me," she said, glancing around and confirming that nobody was watching. That was a relief: she didn't want to be seen under the mistletoe with Ash.

For some reason, Ash's Pikachu let out a snort that sounded like disappointment, and after giving one last glance around to make sure nobody would see it, the redhead shut her eyes hard and came over to give Ash a quick peck on the cheek, holding back the urge to stay there more than necessary, and at the same time regretting that Ash did the same.

It was less than a second, but it was… nice.

"Haha… it wasn't too bad, was it?" he said, scratching the back of his head.

"No, of course not," she replied with a smile. "Er… shall we go back?"

"Yeah, let's go."

Ignoring Pikachu's furrowed brow, both trainers immediately walked back the way they came, heading for the restaurant. Surely Delia and the others had everything ready by now.

As they walked across the street again, Misty idly touched her cheek, the same Ash's lips had touched. Truth be told, she wouldn't have minded to do it the traditional way, but with the other girls around, who was she to claim for herself what could possibly be Ash's first kiss on the lips?

At least for now, better not let the others know they ended up under the mistletoe.

FIN