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A Diminished Sense of Christmas. © Tsumi Moogle '17 Characters Themselves.

It wasn't hard to tell when something big was going on. A small heist here that actually didn't pose as distraction; smaller, isolated incidents, where a little part here or there were only reported missing later, as though the most imperative object of that scientist's lab had never been the actual target. Little bits that added up to a whole. Spots on the map, that made little to no sense, but ultimately spoke of nefarious things. Even Whisper had nothing to go by. No one was sharing, or entirely possibly: no one even knew.

When people began disappearing, sometimes in broad daylight, one moment there and the next, passer-byers would say: gone, those spots on the map began to sprout lines to one another. Until almost like a kick through a wall, it hit him. Doctor Spots was back to his old tricks. And this time, his contacts had leads to guide him.

While the city had proud reglations on the use and maintainence of abandoned warehouses and factories, some were still maintained, and even leased by private companies. There was money in the underbelly of the city, after all. Though it was rarely quiet.

"Any interesting tennants, in the last month?" The panther asked from around the corner of one of his meet-ups. A simple jacket dusted with flecks of the snow that was falling, slacks and boots, keeping him in the normal look for the area as the ferret around the front of the building took an idle draw on his cigarette and inclined his head, watching the shapes his smoke made in the chilly air. "Always. People messing up the joints, people breaking their maximum visitor lease, people violating the late-hour traffic rules." the mustlid murmured, keeping his eyes forward on the dark street, split by the pools of orange light from the street-lamps. "And the noisiest?" probed the panther in a quiet voice, pausing to check his watch. "Should know by now the noisiest is almost never the one to watch. Quietest one'd be on loan to an individual." "No corporate ties?" The feline's eyes lifted from his watch to stare at the bricks of the alley wall, the last connection was poised to be made. "No official ones. But they've got money. Might have to give that place down backstreet of Leo avenue a surprise visit. Make sure they're not doing anything untowards."

"What're you muttering about, Sarl'?" Grunted a badger stepping out of the building. Finishing his cigarette, the ferret dropped it to the pavement to grind it out underfoot. "Nothin'. Just talking to m'self. Best source of conversation m'gonna get around here." The ferret shrugged, to walk back inside. Glancing after the ferret, the badger tromped through the light-fallen snow, peering down the alley. The dusting of snow finer, and looking as patchy as he'd expected. Grumbling lowly, and rubbing his hands, he returned to the warmth of the building, missing the figure watching him from the corner of the alley, standing and hopping over the rooftops with a flutter of his large cape.

******

Over that snowy backstreet, the hyenolf moved silently. His eyes barely needing a glance halfway up the street before he caught sight of one of the figures looking inconspicuous. Long ears tucked under a beanie, and clothes looking perfectly unremarkable. Except they were quite placcidly stood. The cold didn't seem much of a bother for them. Nor for the other rabbit, up past the doorway of that warehouse with its dirty looking windows. The grime keeping things perfectly private. But those bunnies were too pointed. The hero's eyes narrowed silently. What were Doctor Spots and Dominion doing, teaming up? That was never a good mix. With a careful leap,the hyenolf crossed to the warehouse roof, and silent as a breeze, dropped down on one rabbit, then the next, to muffle them as he knocked them out. Settling them in place to stay warm together, before he clambered the wall again, like a gecko. The front door? He wasn't going to make that mistake again.

Within the warehouse, Dominion Nursed at a glass of Eggnog, watching over the slightly haphazzardly filled warehouse. Boxes, and pieces, and half-formed devices, and plans laid about awkwardly, for near anyone to read. And an odd smattering of christmas decorations. Lights strung across high walkways, tinsel and wreaths adorning hanging lights, giving the whole place a bizzare, clashing air to it. Turning in his chair, the wolf's eyes drifted across a pedestal with a number of glass domes. Each held a tiny figure, often times tapping helplessly against the dome that kept them prisoner. Several he knew well, though they didn't recognise him from their perspective.. Business rivals, active law enforcers, Even a hero or two. The wolf smirked, eying one empty dome, before reaching to tap a fingerclaw on the front of the seethrough cage holding one Mr. Devlin Hunter. The wolf's tongue trailed his lips as he rumbled.. He could just pluck this one out, no one would even notice- But almost as if reading his thoughts, a dark-furred hand rested on the wolf's shoulder. 'It would appear our guest has arrived, sugar.' Trish smiled, turning the wolf's chair around to one of the screens flickering to life. Showing the roof-top, and the caped figure slipping over the edge of the warehouse roof. 'Your time to shine, Spots. Let's see this investment pay off, hmm?' Dominion grinned, steepling his fingers as the spotty cat hefted a device in his paws, and with almost a huff at being ordered, began walking up the stairwell towards the roof. Trish levelled her gaze over the wolf's head at the dome containing her sibling, looking supremely unconcerned with the venom his glare at her held. A smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, she turned back to the screen, sitting on the arm of the chair.

He was getting nearly as paranoid as Devlin, the hybrid thought to himself as he carefully approached the roof-access doorway. His ears shifting to sharper ones, taking in at once, many more noises than he could normally perceive. He froze, with a hand reaching for the handlebar, hearing a tiny 'ssh!' from the otherside of it. Throwing himself aside, Morpheus heard the bang of the door being kicked open and the strange sound of what could only be one of Doctor Spot's machine's in action. The high pitched 'Fweeee!' of the beam made his ears splay as he looked up, skidding to a stop as the jaguar stepped out onto the snowy roof, laughing audibly, as if in victory. It cut off promptly. "How did I miss?! He was right there!" The feline lifted his goggles, lifting the apparent ray-gun and swinging around the corner. Ducking flat and rolling aside, the hero felt the odd vibration of the ray's emission pass just overhead, making his fur tingle as he got to his feet. The device seemed to have a small refractory period.

"A ray-gun? You're getting stale, spots!" Morpheus crouched, his hand grasping a fold of his cape. "More like getting closer!" The cat grinned wide as the ray pointed square for the hero. The cape lashed out like a whip, and Spots yowled as his arm flung up. The ray-gun though, was apparently strapped to his arm. It remained woefully in his grasp as the hero silently cursed. The shot had flung off harmlessly into the night sky. "Now hold still!" Spots rubbed under his arm where the cape had lashed. "And can I get some backup out here?!" he snapped over his shoulder, stepping out onto the roof, flanked in a moment by two more rabbits. Unlike the duo on the street, these ones wore a much more familiar outfit of black and red.

"And what are you working on, with Dominion, no less?" The hero barked, forced to leap aside another blast, and the sudden addition of two sets of Dominion's forces blasters. Skidding, sliding, and vaulting, he could almost be grateful for the snow when he took on a turtle-shape, or pangolin to roll. "Not monologuing!" Snapped the jaguar, shaking the ray-gun annoyedly. Lifting it again, he grinned at the hero trying to lash at him again, and ducked before firing, only to find one of his backups being hauled infront of the beam by that irksome cape. The bunny gave a startled squeak! as he was enveloped in light, and with a flash, vanished.

No, not vanished, Morpheus' sensitive ears detected. His eyes found the inch-tall minion stumbling about on the roof-top, and swallowed. He could do without a repeat of -that-, especially on christmas eve. The pieces were falling into place. He didn't -need- the monologue. Well, he could have done with the distraction.

"Are you still struggling with him, spotty? He's not -that- hard to hit!" Came another voice that made Morpheus wince. Aesc stepped out behind the jaguar, with his own ray-gun. One day he'd opt for something like that. Maybe. "You try, then!" growled the jaguar, as Aesc smirked. His golden fleece longer for the christmas months, wearing his suit, rather than the purple and red cargos and shirt he normally did when it was warmer. "My pleasure." The ram's Swapper lifted, trailing after the hero as Morpheus got to moving. The remaining minion's shots barely missing his dextrous form, forcing him to vault back, arching in the air. "Got you!" The ram bleated, firing into the air after the hero. His cape, like a whip, gripped the rooftop, and with a yank, he hauled himself down, feeling that beam go soaring off into the air, rippling over his fur worrisomely. Landing firm, the hero's gauntlets flowed forwards over his hands to create a wider, flat shield before him. He heard the 'Fweee!' and gritted his teeth and eyes, hoping.

The sensation of that beam hitting the reflective surface near made him lose his brace, but the energy rebounded. He heard the ram curse, and the crash of a body on the snowy rooftop, before a bright flash lit up the night again. Lowering his tingling arms, the hero let that shield regress back into his gauntlets, panting as he looked around. Aesc had been tackled by the minion, and was hurriedly pushing the bunny off. The hero's eyes darted, and fixed on the tiny jaguar, hopping and mewling in anger near his ray gun. It had worked.

Hopping quickly to his feet, the hero snatched up the tiny minion, and Doctor Spots, only to grit his teeth as words struck the air and held fast in his mind. 'Not so fast, Hero.' came the rumble in the back of his mind, in every fibre of his being. He stared up at the smirking form of Dominion, adjusting his coat for the weather, with Trish flanking him. 'Not quite how tonight was supposed to go, but, I suppose it could be worse.' the villainous wolf rumbled as he idly plucked the tiny jaguar and rabbit from the hero's grasp. 'I'll call this a partial success, Spots. ..However you know I won't stand for anything less than complete success.' The wolf flicked the tiny jaguar into his jaws like a piece of popcorn, swallowing lazily no more than a moment after the scientist had splatted on his tongue. The minion was popped in easier, and nursed on, like a gumdrop.

Morpheus stared after Dominion's form as the wolf stooped to pick up the feline's shrink ray. He turned it over in his hands to regard the piece, perhaps to look for damage, or simply to take in the handiwork. The hybrid blinked as he felt the muzzle of Aesc's weapon butt against his chest. 'Is it time, sir?' The ram bleated with an eager grin. Dominion chuckled. 'Just about. One more step, and everything will be perfect~' the villain nodded, lifting the ray gun. Morpheus' heart lept to his throat nervously.

But the 'Fwee!' that reached his ears was not the one he had anticipated. It carried on, drawing out in pace, and rising from a lower noise. Like the sound of something falling from the air. All of them on the rooftop turned and lifted their heads, up towards the sky. It was no meteor, nor an aeroplane, as Morpheus had uncertainly imagined. Small and drawn by figures scrambling in harnesses, the vehicle as such could be called came into view.

'Is that-' Aesc began. 'A sleigh?' Trish uttered, bewildered, before Morpheus' eyes widened. 'Move!' He barked out, and snapping from the reverie, the gaggle split, bodies diving, moments before the out-of-control sleigh careened out of control onto the rooftop, crashing and thudding and skidding around. All at once the cacophony came to a crashing end, with part of the roof shattered out over the alleyway.

Looking up from his arms, Morpheus gawped. Slowly getting to his feet, he took in the painted red form. It's design sleeker than everything media really depicted for this mythical device. Its trims of brass and silver, and tiny cabochons of what looked to be Potentia, still sleek, and barely scuffed by that wall shaking crash. How it hadn't broken into pieces on impact was beyond him.. Heck, how it -existed- was beyond him. He heard the villains rising, and approaching.

There was a silent awe to the group as they took in the realization. The stories of this thing, where it had been just a creation of legend, had apparently been brought to realization just after the catastrophe. Over two hundred years, it had soared along the skies on christmas eve. Ever left to its own devices, for it harmed none, and on occasion had actually landed on roofs to leave presents on doorsteps.

Glancing over the sleigh's edge, Morpheus blinked at the aged leather chair, the craftsmanship in the wooden body of the sleigh, the heaving sack over the back. Several had collapsed over the floor of it. And there, half peeking from beneath one brightly wrapped octagon, lay a tiny bear. Promptly, Dominion took the figure to hand, having followed the hero's gaze. The look on his features was indescribable. What could he do with such a discovery..? 'Sugar..!' Came Trish's cautioning voice from the front of the sleigh.

Moving about it, they saw the paired rows of creatures. Horned, Antlered, and Dressed in harnesses of red, decorated with golden bells. Save, for two of the figures, which were rabbits. Morpheus' eyes turned to Aesc who glanced at his ray, and promptly holstered it. While he didn't reach every house, that much was true, it was symbolic. The whole world knew. -would- know. What had happened. All eyes turned to Dominion, who seemed to be regarding the polar-bear. The wolf lifted his gaze, at the others, as the deer and rams and seemed to rouse. Knocked unconscious, but not silly by that terrible fall. Wide-eyes regarded the state of things.

'Comet and Blitzen..' whispered one buck, rubbing his head and arm with a wince. 'We need all eight, though..!' groaned another. 'You need eight reindeer to pull?' Morpheus blinked, earning a prompt stare. 'Or rams. Keeps in traditions.' Nodded the buck rubbing his arm. 'Where's the big man?' bleated a smaller ram near the sleigh. 'Not quite so big at the moment.' Dominion smiled, as he tucked the bear into a pocket. The lines of horned bodies began stirring in annoyance and realization. Dominion was known about the globe, to varying degrees. 'And you all need to calm down.' The wolf spoke, with his eyes glowing. The huffing, snorting and stomping abated. '..So you can tell us how to fix this.'

Morpheus' ears perked at those words, taking the villain in. His tail was wagging. There was an eager grin on his face, but greed wasn't a part of this. 'We need to slip Comet and Blitzen free, to pull. The load won't distribute enough through six of us. So we need to replace them.' Aesc found the eyes of the sleigh-pullers on him, and fixed his gaze on Dominion who merely inclined his head. 'You would be the most eminently qualified of us.' he smirked. Aesc's hand moved to his ray, and he gazed at Trish, who raised her eyebrows modestly, but the gaze she pinned him with was deadly. 'Don't you even dream of it, sugar.' came her almost sweet tone. The sleigh-pullers all shivered in their own rights. 'Then that leaves..' Dominion mused, turning his eyes to Morpheus, who blinked,and sighed. 'I should probably keep an eye on you all.' the hyenolf nodded, taking a breath to change his shape, before giving a startled yelp as Aesc's ray shot him. He felt that buzzing thrum, saw the outline of his form as he was forced into that taller, slimmer cervine shape. Gasping softly, he glowered at the ram, who smirked over his handiwork, and began slipping off his jacket and vest. The reindeer were all shirtless under those jingling harnesses.

Following suit, Morpheus assisted Trish in unbuckling the still unconscious Comet and Blitzen, easing them inside the roof access doorway. 'It's going to be a rough awakening for them.' The bunny mused, closing the door and helping strap her colleague in crime in with that Harness, as Morpheus did the same, after having eased off the top half of his costume and cape. Slipping into the harness and clipping it, he felt a soft thrum of energy that seemed to warm his body and made the aches of the night fall away.

Dominion smirked keenly as he clambered into the sleigh, pulling on the overlarge red coat, with its thick fur lining. Trish placed the last of the gifts back in the immense sack, and settled in beside the wolf, who held open one side of the jacket for her, easing an arm about the bunny's side as the deer began to walk the two newcomers through pulling the sleigh.

It sounded easy enough, Morpheus thought as together, the Eight of them walked the Sleigh about with apparent ease. Each of the reindeer and rams glanced at each other with a tight-lipped nod, and then leaned into their harnesses, starting to pull, and picking up into an easy paced jog. The rails of the sleigh bumped over the snowy roof as they picked up speed. Aesc and Morpheus both watched the approaching ledge with apprehension. Stealing a momentary glance at each other, before the group began leaping, and pressing off the higher ledge of the roof top, jogging as if on solid ground, up into the air. Footsteps glowing as they ran. With a lurch, the hero and villain took that step and jumped, and then, kept running as the world fell away. The sleigh angled up, thumping the edge of the roofledge, but gliding over it to follow after the deer, as Dominion grinned wide, chuckling his delight for the expansive, starry sky unfolding before them. The flutter of a thick piece of paper found his attention, and plucking up the top of the list, he found a knowing draw in his chest. Each name a direction. With a grin, the wolf pointed, moonlight glinting off his glasses. 'Now, dash away, dash away all! Hyah!!' He barked in elation, squeezing the bunny in against his side.

--Fin.