Duskie awoke on his bed, sprawled out with his legs up in the air, his tail twitching as his brain took a second to realize what day it was.

“It’s… Christmas!” He yelled, jumping up from the bed and running towards the tree.

“Eat your breakfast first! Else you might eat your present-”

Unfortunately for Knight, Duskie was already chewing off the gift wrap.

Time for a change of tactics!

“Duskie! Do you wanna go out to eat for breakfast?”

Duskie stopped his consumption of gift wrapping. Oh???

“It’s Christmas! Come on, Duskie, let’s get some pancakes!”

OH!!!!

“Christmas pancakes! Christmas pancakes!”

“Remember, you’re not allowed to eat the forks!”

But what if I pay for them?

“... Ask first.”

The waitress came by. “Hello, sir-”

“Can I eat the forks if you add it to my bill?” Duskie asked.

“-What? No, sir, you cannot.”

“Dang!”

"What would you like to order?" 

"I'd like..." Duskie stared at the menu. "Oh! There's Christmas pancakes!" He said, pointing to some pancakes that had red and green chocolate chips baked in.

"Sir, those are called 'The Pancakes Of New Beginnings.'" The waitress said. 

"I'd like those, please!"

"Alright."

The Christmas pancakes were delicious! Duskie was left nibbling on his fork before Knight said "Stop that." and so he took the fork out of his mouth and put it on the plate.

"Thank you!" He said as the waitress came by to collect a check. 

He signed the check and drew himself enjoying the pancakes on the corner of it.

The waitress looked at it and chuckled.

After the restaurant, Duskie ran around in the swordfighting area.

The grassy fields where Duskie had sparred with his classmates had become covered in snow, and even with Duskie's footprints there was still little proof that grass existed beneath the snow at all.

"Hello, Duskie!" Helix called out.

"Hello, Helix!"

Most of Duskie's classmates had simply gone home for the holidays, hanging out with their families or their friends, but Duskie himself had no home outside of the academy, or at least, no known home-

"no, you were right the first time. we're not from this universe and unless Sundown or one of the other seven show up here nobody is going to recognize us."

Who's Sundown?

"... not important right now."

"How's the pre-nights?"

"Pre-nights? Like the nights before Christmas?"

"... What's Christmas?" Helix cocked his head, confused.

"... You don't know what Christmas is?!" Duskie asked. "Christmas is TODAY! It's when you open up all of your presents-" Duskie then violently remembered the present his brothers left him. "... Be right back! I gotta open my present!" He bolted over to his room.

Helix stood there, still, and then blinked. ... I should look up where Christmas is celebrated.

Duskie finished off the gift wrapping and found... a box!

"Open it!"

Duskie took a big chunk off instead.

"that works."

Inside the box was... a build-a-bear plushie!

Specifically, it was a fawn and white cat on all fours!

Thank you! Duskie tossed at Knight and Odio as he clung to the plushie tightly. I'm gonna name him Sundown!

"..."

"..."

The back of their head smells like cake! Duskie took in a deep breath and enjoyed his Christmas present...

... Still not knowing that they don't exactly have 'Christmas' in this world.

(There's no manehood Jesus, after all.)