Yami To Boushi to Hon no Tabibito: Ever After
Christmas
The transit between worlds was different, every time they experienced it. Sometimes it was a almost unnoticed shift, sometimes a sudden, jarring change. This transit was sadly one of the later, the group of women materializing in midair then dropping as Lilith yelped in alarm.
"Cadeus, staff mode!" Quill yelled, the dusky skinned woman grabbing at her device then extending a field to slow their fall. She was from the planet Mid-Childa, and used the magical Device she carried to study travel between the worlds. Hazuki was often bewildered by the older woman, remembering a different Quill she met on her first travel between worlds.
Hazuki's long school-girl's skirt swirled around her legs as she hit the snow, yelping in alarm at the cold. "Damn it," she cried, snow reaching right up to her bare ankles.
"Aagh!" Lilith sounded equally annoyed as the busty blonde haired woman scowled, stomping her feet in the cold snow. She wore a sexy, almost maid like outfit, her impressive bosom straining against the white blouse.
"Heating field," Quill ordered, the staff glowing as it generated a bubble of warmth around them all. Her violet eyes were concerned as she looked at Hazuki, "Are you all right?"
"I will be," Hazuki answered ruefully as she quickly warmed up.
Lilith didn't look terribly happy, then she visibly shook herself. "Is there a change of clothes in our emergency gear?" she asked, even as they took in the snow covered land around them.
"I think so," Quill said as she helped everyone take off their backpacks and root around in the supplies. Compact boots were soon found and slipped on, then the group headed out to find some shelter and change into something more warm.
The strange, snow covered land seemed deserted as they trudged onward, but finally the three saw a light off in the distance. Guided by that beacon they continued on, eventually coming over a rise and seeing laid out below them what almost looked like a quaint village.
"That's so cute," Lilith noted, smiling at the old fashioned buildings.
"Something seems...," Hazuki frowned slightly, "off, somehow."
"We need to get to cover," Quill stressed, "Cadeus can't do this forever."
"Yes Sir," the staff said blandly.
Lilith took the decision out of their hands by boldly heading down the hill, Hazuki and Quill scampering to follow. The town in the valley had no street signs, though honestly the thirty or so buildings didn't really need one, and seemed split between several factories and cottages for the workers.
"Who would be building things somewhere so cold?" Hazuki muttered, looking around warily.
Just then a group of young women emerged from one of the cottages, chattering happily. They were all attractive, with various hair colors and looks, but all wore distinctive red dresses, black leather boots and red caps, all lined in white fur.
The white haired leader visibly gaped when she saw the three travelers, then rubbed at her eyes as if she was seeing things. "Hi there," Lilith waved at them cheerfully.
She touched Lilith's arm, then visibly shook her head. "Sorry," she said, "just had to see if you were real."
"Hmm?" Quill looked amused.
The strange woman smiled, "My name is Christine Claus, what are you doing up at the North Pole on Christmas Eve?"
There was a long moment of silence as Hazuki digested that, then she groaned aloud, "You have GOT to be kidding me!"
Some minutes later and they were inside one of the larger buildings, surrounded by the young women whom Christine claimed were Elves. A older but still handsome woman named Mrs. Claus was heating up some mulled wine for them, even as the elves readied some food.
"So where's Santa Claus?" Hazuki had to ask, she, Lilith and Quill sitting by the fire holding mugs of the hot wine.
"Oh, Nicky retired years ago," the still handsome older woman noted, her firm breasts straining her red dress, "but his daughters are carrying on the tradition."
"Fascinating," Quill noted, her device glowing as it recorded data.
Lilith, meanwhile, was visibly bristling as several elves and Christine were giving Hazuki admiring glances. It was bad enough fending off Quill's subtle interest without dealing with this mob of cute women too!
Hazuki sipped the wine, feeling it warming her body as she began to relax a bit. "My friends and I came here looking for someone, a blond haired woman," and she described Eve.
"She was here last year," Mrs. Claus told her gently, "but she just... disappeared from the dorms one night. I'm sorry."
"Damn it," Hazuki sighed, shoulders slumping a bit.
Lilith put her arm around Hazuki's shoulders, patting her arm with one hand. "We'll catch up to her," she promised.
Christine looked at the three bedraggled women and came to a quick decision. "You three must be exhausted," she said, "why don't we put you up in the dorms tonight? You can start fresh looking for your friend in the morning."
Hazuki wanted to protest, but Quill was also nodding. "She's right," she told Hazuki, "besides, we're all tired. In the morning our heads will be clearer."
Thankfully there were single rooms in the dorms, however there were only two left. Lilith quickly volunteered to share with Hazuki, which left Quill in the other single. All three women settled into bed, even as the soft sounds of Elves and the industrious Clause daughters echoed in the background.
Quill dozed for a bit, then the young woman decided to get up and get a snack. Slipping on a surprisingly warm red dress and boots she headed out, walking from the dorm to the main building they were in before. Women bustled about as busy as ever, but one was willing to stop and direct her to the kitchen where food was being kept warm.
"Welcome back," Mrs Claus smiled, the still vigorous older woman stirring some kind of stew.
The fragrant smell made Quill's mouth water, not to mention her stomach rumble. "Sorry," she blushed as the older woman laughed.
"Here," Mrs. Claus filled up a bowl of the stew and passed it over with some warm bread, "you sound like you could use this."
"Sorry," Quill repeated as she dug in, "Hazuki can be very driven in her quest, she doesn't always think to stop and eat."
"Have you been traveling together long?" Mrs Claus asked gently.
"A few months," Quill admitted thoughtfully, blowing on the stew then swallowing. She dipped the bread in the thick, brown gravy and munched, sighing happily. "Oh, this is good," she muttered.
Mrs. Claus seemed pleased as she beamed, "Thank you." She looked at Quill thoughtfully, "I hope the trip hasn't been too difficult."
"No, no too bad," Quill admitted. She flashed a smile, "The researcher in me is fascinated, even though I occasionally feel like a third wheel."
"Are Lilith and Hazuki together then?" Mrs. Claus asked curiously.
"I think Lilith would like to be," Quill mused, smiling, "Hazuki can be a little... blind, to that sort of thing."
Mrs. Claus snickered softly, "I know how that feels, I had to practically lead my poor Nicky into proposing to me."
The two women laughed and talked while young women filed in to get fed, then returned to their work, until finally Quill yawned tiredly. "Excuse me," she smiled slightly as she said, "it's been a long day."
"That it has," Mrs. Claus agreed, getting up as well. "You'd best run off to bed," she told her, "before I do something I'll regret."
"Oh?" Quill looked at her curiously, taking in her fine figure in the tight red dress. It had been a few months, and to be honest she found she liked the older woman.
Mrs. Clause winked, "I wasn't always old and married, dear girl."
"You're not old," Quill answered firmly. She moved forward and kissed the slightly taller woman, letting her lips linger a moment.
Mrs. Claus kissed her back, then tilted her head as Quill pulled back. "You had best not be teasing," she cautioned, "or I'll have to put you on the naughty list."
"I don't tease," Quill promised, looking into her eyes warmly.
Mrs. Claus chuckled softly, "We'll see."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Hazuki woke up in Lilith's arms, her face pressed up against the blond's much more bountiful chest. It was a surprisingly comfortable place to rest, too comfortable in Hazuki's opinion. She started to wiggle free only to have Lilith sleepily coo, "Oh, Hazuki!"
"Hmmph!" Hazuki made a soft sound as Lilith wrapped more firmly around her, hugging her snugly not to mention pressing her face more tightly to her chest.
"Ooh, that's nice Hazuki," Lilith cooed, apparently wrapped in a very nice dream.
Deciding to stop being nice Hazuki ticked Lilith along the ribs, jerking the woman to wakefulness as she gasped and giggled. She scooted away from Hazuki, even as she gave the black haired woman a slightly hurt look.
"And I was having a nice dream too," Lilith pouted.
"I know," Hazuki said dryly, getting up from the too small bed.
Someone had washed and dried their old clothes overnight, so both women got changed back into their regular gear before heading out. Emerging from their room they moved to knock on Quill's door, but the door opened before they could do so.
"Excuse me," Mrs Claus smiled warmly, leaving Quill's room with just a robe wrapped around her. She turned back to look into Quill's room, "Thank you for a wonderful night, dear."
Quill came out a moment later, wrapped in another robe and several visible hickeys on her neck. "No, thank you," she answered, watching fondly as Mrs Claus walked off. She noticed Hazuki giving her the oddest look and asked, "What?"
"You slept with Mrs. Santa Claus?" Hazuki yelped.
"Yes, and...?" Quill clearly didn't get it, and for that matter neither did Lilith.
"Argh," Hazuki threw her hands in the air, shaking her head.
"What?" Quill pressed innocently, trotting after her.
In the end they found no traces of Hatsumi, or Eve as Lilith likes to call her. They spent a few days at the North Pole resting up, and Quill continued to scandalize poor Hazuki by sleeping with Mrs. Claus. Worse, Lilith seemed to think this was time for her and Hazuki to do something too. A very cross Hazuki finally insisted they move on, and once more they traveled the worlds...
To be continued...
Notes: this is a tie in to my fic, a Miyuki-chan in Wonderland Christmas.