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Sara Henault is doing fine. If you ignore the fact that her body is crumbling under the weight of all the bags she’s carrying, she’s doing just fine.
The subway is crowded like always, and the hand holding three bags is clinging to the rail above her head. She’s holding two other bags in her other hand, and her arm is wrapped around the one bag she’s unable to carry in her hands. Her arms are starting to hurt, but she tells herself that the ride is only just a bit longer. She tries to shift her weight and push herself to the side of the train, giving others around her more breathing room.
The train shifts to a stop, and Sara has to stop herself from stumbling forward and crashing into another passenger. She’s gained a few looks from strangers due to how much she’s carrying, but she’s managing everything the best she can. The holidays were just around the corner, and Sara was the type who preferred to knock out all her Christmas shopping in one go. Scattered throughout these six bags were gifts for her parents, her roommates, and of course, her friends in the Danceverses. Her poor wallet was gasping for air after the shopping spree she had just endured, but seeing the looks on everyone’s faces on Christmas morning would make it all worth it.
Sara squeezes through the crowd of people getting off of the train, parading up the stairs and getting to the streets of Paris. Her apartment wasn’t far from the stop, but that wouldn’t make this journey any less treacherous. The wind blows snowflakes into her eyes, and she blinks them away as she marches forward. She really needs to get a new coat. It doesn’t usually get this snowy here, she thinks. She supposes that it’s a sign to get into the holiday spirit. Sara tries to focus on that, rather than the straining pain in her arms.
She opens the front door by pressing her back against it and hits the elevator buttons with her elbow. After making it to the fifth floor, stopping in front of the door to her apartment makes her realize that she’s about to hit a bump in the road. The sound of the bags shuffling next to each other echoes throughout the hallway as she tries to remember what pocket she put her key in. Was it the left front pocket of her jeans, or the right pocket of her coat…?
The door opens. “Hey, Sara-”
“DON’T LOOK!” Her screech is enough to startle him into squeezing his eyes shut.
“Okay, okay! Not looking! I was just gonna get the door open for you!”
Sara moves past Ty, one of her roommates. He’s got a wooden spoon in his hand and is wearing the ugliest Hawaiian shirt she’s ever seen, but he somehow always makes it work, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Can I open my eyes now?” he asks, blindly reaching in front of him for the doorknob.
“Wait until I’m upstairs!” Sara tells him. She races to the loft, slipping into her bedroom. The flimsy handles of the bags roll off Sara’s arms as each bag falls onto the bed, and she lets out an exasperated huff of air. She threads a hand through her hair before sifting through the bags and placing each purchase on the bed, one by one.
The most expensive thing from her spree would easily be the coffee maker she got for her parents. The purchases from the nearby technology store consisted of a new pair of headphones for Ty, along with a phone case with detachable charms and a copy of Tears of the Kingdom for her other roommates, Nyla and Sophie. A pair of fitness wristbands for Brezziana, a crystal jewelry set for Mihaly, a DVD set for Jack. She had even gotten some decorative presents for the Traveler and Si’ha Nova, a small snow globe and a cat statue. It would be a successful shopping trip if it weren’t for a singular missing element.
Wanderlust was an incredible friend. Sara knew she had to get him something he would absolutely love, but she had been stumped. Gift ideas came naturally for everyone else in her life, but for the prince of the Danceverses, her mind drew a blank. For weeks, she had tried to figure out what to buy him, only to not come up with a single idea. She would be lying if she said it wasn’t frustrating her beyond relief.
Sara steps out of her room, closing the door. With a sigh, she rests her arms over the railing of the loft.
Ty moves backwards out of the kitchen, looking up. “How was shopping?”
“Fine.” Sara puts her head in her hands. “I’m sorry for yelling at you.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t want to have the surprise spoiled for me, either.” He shrugs. “I’m making pasta, by the way. Do you want any?”
She finally smiles. “That would be nice.”
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“That looks like the last one,” Sara says to herself, wrapping the last gift. She had made sure to make sure each one was wrapped the best she could make it, covering each gift in gold wrapping paper with snowflakes sprinkled on it. She grabbed the presents for her roommates, hoisting them into her arms and exiting the room.
She wasn’t sure how long she spent wrapping gifts, but it was long enough to leave her as the only one awake in the apartment. She did hear someone talking downstairs, but when she approaches their living area, she realizes it was just the television. Sara goes over to the Christmas tree that the four of them had decorated together, placing her gifts underneath.
“Sophie really needs to remember to turn off the tv when they’re done…” Sara mumbles as she picks up the remote. Some YouTube video is playing as she sits on the couch and exits the app. Each one is displayed on the TV in neat rows. YouTube, Netflix, Cable… Game Console.
She eyes the switch that the four of them shared.
A bit of dancing could never hurt.
Sara starts to boot up Just Dance, something she would usually do whenever she got into frantic, stressed moods like this one. Whenever she was overwhelmed, she could always dance her worries away. She scrolls through each map on the interface, looking for an easier map to warm herself up. It was late, so she wasn’t sure how long she would be doing this for, but it was something to take her away from the stress of the holiday season, even if momentarily.
Magic by Kylie Minogue, starring the one and only Ann. G Lina, is what she ends up going with. She had the pleasure of meeting Ann once at the afterparty of a Scarlet’s Palace show that her friends had brought her to. Her personality was just like her stage performances; bright, cheerful, and magical.
The doors of Scarlet’s Palace open, and Ann stands in the center of the stage, glowing rays of light illuminating behind her and painting her as the center of attention. Sara replicates the slow and airy arm movements that the choreography starts with. When the first verse starts, Sara jumps into action.
Magic, magic, magic, magic…
By the time the bridge comes, she’s on fire. Sara leans back, her arms flowing behind her as Ann becomes showered in blue and white.
Magic, magic, magic, magic…
The gold move is coming. Sara puts her left arm in front of her and casts her right arm forward. She leans back again, but this time, it’s different. There’s an energy in this movement. It propels her forward, dragging her body into someplace different.
Her skin is porcelain. Her hair is Neptune. She’s in front of Scarlet’s Palace.
Sara probably should have expected this, but it still takes her by surprise each time it happens. When Wanderlust couldn’t bring her to the Danceverses, she found that she could do it herself. If she focused really hard while dancing, sharply hitting each beat and becoming one with the rhythm, she would get transported to whatever map she was playing at the moment.
She wasn’t too worried about getting back home… mostly. There was a train system that went between Earth and the Danceverses, but it always came by at the strangest hours, and their postings were a nightmare to track down. She can hear the bass of the speakers vibrating from outside. If she can’t get home right away, she may as well have some fun while she’s here.
The tiles illuminate in tune with the music as Sara steps down the hallway, making her way to the main ballroom. When the doors open, she can hear an explosion of sound. Cheering voices, mingling guests, clinking cups… the familiar cacophony of Dancity’s hottest spot for drag entertainment.
Ann G. Lina dances in the center of the stage, sparks of magical dust sprinkling from her hands. All eyes in the room are on her as she twirls around, happily swaying to the beat. Sara nods her head along to the disco beat, scanning over the crowd. Just as she’s feeling the music, she sees a blue hand reach forward with tipping money… oh no.
She follows the hand and sees the back of a golden crown. Double oh no.
Sara crouches down, instinctively ducking below the crowd so that she can’t be seen. If Wanderlust spots her, he’s sure to come over, and she would start thinking about how she didn’t know what gift to get him again, and then she would start panicking, and because he’s such a helpful friend, he would calm her down and ask what was wrong, but he couldn’t know what was wrong!
She nearly gets kneed in the face when slipping through the crowd. As she tries to find the exit, Sara weaves through the crowd of dancing bodies, eventually reaching the wall and pushing through a door. She stumbles out, finally able to breathe, when she looks up and realizes something. This isn’t the way she came in.
There’s no way she can go back inside, Wanderlust would spot her. She’s only been here a handful of times, she’s not sure what the layout of this place is at all, especially beyond what she’s familiar with. That leaves Sara with no choice but to parade forward.
This seems to be some sort of back area, she gathers. Brick walls are loosely decorated with posters, lights are placed high above each door, and various trunks are lined up against the walls. She finds a door at the end of the hall, pushing through and closing it behind her.
This room isn’t remotely close to the exit she was looking for, but it’s quite dazzling, she just has to stop and stare. The walls, painted a perfect shade of crimson, house black shelves with small accessories across them. In front of her sits a sleek, black vanity, an intricate frame curling around the mirror. Two velvet seats are on each side of the vanity, and one is positioned in front of it. A plush, red carpet covers the ground, and the right wall is lined with a rack where luminous clothing sets hang.
Sara can’t help but stay for longer than she intended to, walking up to the vanity and taking in every little detail. She hears the buzz of a phone and sees one on the surface of the table. The lock screen lights up, it’s a group photo. She sees Ann G. Lina alongside Luke Cypher, another fierce drag performer that she had met here. There were a couple of other drag performers that she didn’t recognize, but among them, she also saw Wanderlust, smiling and posing along.
“Ann has been such a star tonight! She’s on fire.”
“Hey, don’t say that. That’s my thing.”
Triple oh no.
This isn’t good. Sara twists her head, looking for someplace to… hide? She isn’t quite sure what she’s doing, this isn’t the best idea she can come up with, but before she knows it, the door is opening, and she’s a deer in headlights.
“Seriously, that’s my trademark! Why don’t you come up with some air thing for Ann? Like… she’s a breath of fresh air, or-”
Two pairs of eyes stare at the stranger in the dressing room. The first comes from a demon with a fire-patterned set of pants and vest, who she recognizes as Luke. The second comes from a performer in a glittering red and yellow bodysuit. Their eyebrows narrow as they march to Sara, pointing an unopened fan in her face.
“Who are you?” They ask with an unfriendly intrigue. “Are you a guest? Where’s your backstage pass?”
She panics, her mouth slack-jaw as she tries to come up with an answer. “I- um-”
“You don’t have a backstage pass.” They say after looking at her up and down. They jab the fan closer, holding it directly under Sara’s chin. “If you don’t have a good reason for being back here, I’ll have to call security.”
Luke steps forward. “Scarlet-”
“It doesn’t have to- wait, one moment.” They stop, pulling the fan away from Sara and examining it closely, muttering to themselves under their breath. “Wait a minute, this isn’t my nineteen-in-one multitool…”
“Scarlet, she doesn’t mean any harm. At least, I don’t think she does…” A bit unsure of himself, the demon puts a hand on Scarlet’s shoulder. “This is Sara. She’s Wanderlust’s human friend that I told you about.”
Their demeanor changes in seconds as they grab Sara’s hand. “Oh, where are my manners?” they exclaim. “So sorry about that, I tend to be the overprotective type.”
“I…” Sara nods slowly as Scarlet shakes their hand. “...see that.”
They pull away. “So, what brings you here? Enjoying the show?”
“Yes… and I-”
“Do you want coffee?” Scarlet interrupts, and before Sara can answer, they’re headed towards the door. “I can make us some. My multitool has a coffee-making function!”
The door slams shut. The silence in the dressing room is interrupted by Luke chuckling under his breath as he sits down in his vanity seat.
“They’ll take any damn excuse to show that thing off…” he says, crossing one leg over the other as he eyes Sara through the mirror. “Sit down. You’ll probably be here for a while.”
She nods, sitting on one of the plush, velvet chairs, her body sinking into the cushion.
“So, how are you doing?” Luke asks as he unscrews an eyeliner bottle. “Luke Cypher, by the way. I don’t think we’ve formally met, face to face.”
“It’s… I’m doing fine.” She nods. “Just a bit stressed.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He turns in his chair, a wicked smirk on his face. “And what exactly were you doing in my dressing room?”
“...Couldn’t find the exit.”
He bites back a laugh. “Well, if you exit this room, it’s straight down at the end of the hall.”
“Yeah, thanks.” She nods. Her thoughts go back to something different. “So, they said that they have a fan that… makes coffee?”
“Makes coffee, has a pocket knife, a nail gun… that multitool can do everything.” Luke groans. “Ever since Fuchsia Blue got them one as an early Christmas present, it’s been in their grasp twenty-four seven.”
Christmas present. Sara can’t help but put her head in her hands and sigh.
“...Girl, are you good?”
Her head shoots back up. “What did you get Wanderlust for Christmas?”
“Wanderlust?” Luke’s eyebrow raises, then he shrugs. “Gift certificate. There’s a hair salon in Sun Horizon that he really likes. Why do you want to know?”
“I have no idea what to get him as a gift.” Sara leans back in the chair. “Shopping for everyone else in my life has been easy, but with him, my mind keeps drawing blanks.”
The door flies open as Scarlet returns, somehow managing to carry three mugs in their hands at once. They place each one down on the table, and Sara thanks them as she reaches for her own.
“So, you’ve got nothing?” Luke continues.
“The only thing I’ve come up with is… a nice coat?” Sara seems unsure of herself as she answers. “I don’t know, I feel like that’s too generic! I like getting gifts that can have value to whoever you’re giving them to. I could get Wanderlust a coat, but at the same time, I could get anyone a coat.”
“What’s going on here?” Scarlet tilts their head towards Luke.
“Sara is struggling with getting Wanderlust a holiday gift.” Luke says to the other, who nods in acknowledgement. He takes a sip from his mug, contemplating. His face lights up for just a moment. “Actually… you know one thing Wanderlust has been really into recently? History.”
“History?” It’s her first time hearing about this. “Like, of the Danceverses?”
“Not just the Danceverses. All kinds of universes in general. Here, earth, and beyond,” he says. “Maybe that could point you in the right direction.”
“History…” She leans back in her chair. “History, history, history…”
“You could also, I don’t know, ask him what he wants?” Scarlet suggests.
“But if I do that, then he’ll know what I’m going to get him!” Sara tells them. Scarlet nods, as if to say, “fair point.”
“Alternatively, you can ask his friends?” Luke follows Scarlet’s idea.
“That’s true.” Sara nods. History, she thinks. It’s a bold word. History. A catalog of many events over time.
“Do you plan on heading back to the ballroom?” asks Scarlet.
“As much as I’d like to… I think I’m going to visit his parents. They might be able to help me more.” Sara nodded. “I should go catch a train-”
“Ah-ah-ah! Tonight's your lucky night.” The drag performer interrupts as they step to the center of the room, whipping a fan out of their pocket. “One of the settings in this handy little fan of mine just so happens to be a portal gun! Just… give me one moment…”
Sara puts down the mug and rises from her seat, watching them mess with the rhinestone buttons on the handle of the fan. “Um… can I ask exactly what you planned to do with that when you first saw me here, Mx. Scarlet?” she asks.
They reel their head back with laughter as they turn their head to Sara. “Oh, don’t worry about it!”
She looks at Luke, who echoes the statement with a shrug.
“Listen, if you still can’t find anything for the prince, I’d suggest one of these darlings, straight from Long Incorporated.” Scarlet grins, showing off the multitool to Sara. “Nithe Long may be a corporate bitch, but damn, her mind can be brilliant.”
She nods. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
A spark of electricity begins to form at the end of the fan. Pointing towards an empty space in the room, Scarlet flicks their wrist with an air of power behind the motion. As the fan opens, the flare flies forward, quickly expanding in an explosion of light. The glowing rectangle sparks, the other side showing a minimalistic room with marble tiles. Si’ha Nova’s spa.
“Thank you so much.” She nods to the performers.
“Come back anytime!” Scarlet tells her. “My palace accepts anyone with open arms!”
“Good luck, darling.” Luke blows Sara a kiss, small sparks whisking through the air before disappearing.
Sara moves forward, crossing through the portal to the other side. The gateway closes behind her as she arrives in the porcelain castle of the Spacetime Hotel. Water rushes from a fountain in the center of the lobby, and small strings of lights are twirled around the railing of the stairs. Some labeled boxes of decor sit on the ground next to the stairs, but no one seems to be around to hang them.
“Hello?”
The one of the double doors at the top of the stairs slams open, nearly on cue. From below, Sara can see a figure concealed behind the stack of boxes that they carry, but gloves of gold and blue velvet help her see who’s on the other side.
“Hi, um… Mrs. Nova?”
A familiar face pops out from behind the boxes. “Sara?” The deity’s eyes light up as she makes her way down the stairs. “Sara! What a surprise! What are you doing here? If you’re looking for Wanderlust, he’s not here, he’s out tonight-”
“Actually, that’s the thing,” stated Sara. “I’m having a bit of trouble with my holiday shopping, and I was wondering if you could help point me in the right direction.”
“Oh, of course!” She nods as she sets the boxes next to the stack on the floor. “I’d be happy to help, come with me.”
She gestures for Sara to follow her into the elevator. As they step in, she sees the inside has been decorated with a trail of white, lacy ribbon along the top walls. “Your decorating looks very nice, Mrs. Nova,” she says.
Si’ha scoffs lightly. “Please, Sara, how many times do I have to tell you that you don’t need to be so formal with me?” She grins, looking at the ribbon as she presses a button on the wall. “But thank you. I’ve been working on decorating the hotel all day. Most prefer to get the process done faster using flow, but for a task like this, I find myself preferring the traditional method.”
The elevator doors open to the main hallway, just near the lobby. The whole area has been decked out with lights, garland, and even a glowing reindeer statue right near the elevator door. Sara looked around, completely in awe. And she thought the total amount for the gifts she bought was a lot… she couldn’t even begin to imagine what the cost of all of this would be.
“You said you were having a shopping dilemma?” Si’ha asks as they head towards the lobby.
“Yes, right.” Sara nods. “I’m really not sure what to get Wanderlust for a present this year.”
“I see… Do you normally struggle with holiday shopping?”
“Oh, no. It’s my favorite thing to do.” Sara disagrees. “I’ve always been good at it, but he’s the only person I haven’t gotten something for on my list. I want to get something that he’ll really cherish, but I just haven’t been able to narrow that down.”
“Well, if there’s one thing I know about my son, it’s that he’s one to cherish any sort of memory with his loved ones,” the deity tells Sara. “Any sort of memorabilia that can link back to you and his friends… that could do.”
“That’s true… I’m just stressed.” She sighs. “I’ve always loved being able to get gifts for people during the holidays. I like being able to nail the perfect gift to someone and see their reaction when they realize what it is. It’s like they have stars in their eyes… or, if that really was a thing, the closest you can get to it.”
The two women enter the lobby, which has been decorated to the nines. A tall Christmas tree spans the center, cascading upwards to the ceiling. The pine tower was covered in ornaments in shades of purple and gold, and standing in front of it all was a starry-cloaked figure.
“Hard at work, I see?” asks Si’ha.
The Traveler turns around, a delighted look on his face as he walks forward. “Just enjoying the view, my dear.” He delicately places a hand around her neck, pulling her in for a quick kiss before turning to his son’s friend. “And… Sara! What a delight, I didn’t know you’d be coming over.”
“It was kind of an impulsive decision…” she says, glancing down as he notices the king fidgeting with a ring on his thumb. He’s quick to notice her stare.
“Ah, Wanderlust gave me one of these. He said it helped him relax,” he said, twisting the ring in Sara’s view. “I never really understood these kinds of gadgets until I got my hands on one…”
There’s a knock on the door, next to the front desk, which alerts the three of them.
“The… back door?” the Traveler mutters, turning back to his wife. “My love, you didn’t invite any other guests over tonight, did you?”
“No, I didn’t.” She shakes her head. “Who could that be…?”
“I’ll get it,” he volunteers. The Traveler goes towards the door, reaching for the handle and opening it slowly. He blinks a couple of times, caught off guard and unable to say a word.
“...Phineas?”
“It’s been too long!” says a chiptune voice. A pixelated figure emerges, wrapping a free arm around the Traveler’s shoulder.
“Phineas!” Si’ha Nova repeats his name. “I… I didn’t know you would be visiting!”
“Just wanted to swing by and drop off my presents before I forgot! You know how busy the holiday season can be!” He winks with his left eye, which has a diamond painted over it. Sara wasn’t sure how to describe it, but it appeared as if he moved at a lower framerate. She didn’t even know that was possible. Then again, in the Danceverses, anything is possible, she’s learned. He heads towards the tree, effortlessly holding a stack of gift-wrapped boxes with one hand. “And who might this be?”
“This is Sara, a friend of Wanderlust’s.” Si’ha introduces. “And Sara, this is-”
“Many know me as the Showman!” He places the presents under the pine, flashing a grin at the two before giving Sara a firm handshake. “I’m also the prince’s Godfather.”
Sara nods, slowly shaking the other’s hand. While she tries to behave politely, her curious expression isn’t overlooked. “What is it?” asks the Showman. “Do I have something on my face? Other than the birthmark?”
“No, dear.” Si’ha shakes her head. “You’re just a bit… pixelated.”
The Showman looks down at his body, gasping as a cubeish exclamation point appears over his head. “GOODNESS! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?! One moment, please.” He steps back, knocking his own fist into his head. Some pixels fall to the ground, and Sara can see part of his head on the other side. The Showman then shakes his head like a wet dog, chiseled pixels falling off and bouncing onto the floor, blinking out of existence like video game power-ups. His new form, a human form, is much more detailed, with glitter coating the accents of his jacket and pants.
“Much better. I was wondering why my body felt so tight!” he exclaims, cracking his fingers. “Well, I ought to get going.”
“But you just got here.” The Traveler puts a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you stay for a bit? The more the merrier.”
“No can do. I’ve got a performance in Carnivallium to catch.” He shakes his head before pointing a finger to Sara. Besides, it appears you already have company for the night.”
“Actually… I think I should also get going.” Sara agrees. “It’s been a long day, and I might have to let my brain have a rest before I think any more about this gift.”
“Ah, are you also getting your holiday shopping done?” asks the Showman.
“I’ve gotten most of it, but I’m still not sure what to get Wanderlust. So far, I know I should be looking for something historical, memorable, and…” She looks to the Traveler, who’s still messing with his ring. “...fidgety?”
The Showman hums, snapping his fingers. “Hold that thought. I know of something you may be interested in.”
He goes behind the front desk, looking around frantically. Meanwhile, the Traveler conjures a portal home for Sara, no questions asked. He’s been able to do this when Wanderlust wasn’t available, so he knew how to get her home swiftly and safely.
“Be sure to get a good night’s rest, Sara,” he tells her.
“It’s been great to see you again.” Si’ha nods.
“One moment!” The Showman vaults the desk, handing Sara a slip of paper. “I have a feeling these might be the people you’re looking for.”
Sara takes the paper, reading over what he’s written down, a name and a phone number. “A… picture company?” she asks.
“They’ve got some neat stuff.” He nods. “In fact, it’s where I got the wedding gift for those two, many, many years ago.”
“Well, thank you! I’ll be sure to look into it.” She folds the paper and turns around, waving to the trio before stepping away. “Goodbye, everybody!”
Once the light diminishes, she’s on the other side, and back in her living room. The familiar tune of the pause screen is playing, it must have been looping ever since she left. Moonlight oozes through the tall windows as Sara sits down on the couch. She looks at the paper once again. She should go to bed… but what if she forgets in the morning?
Sara pulls out her phone and dials the number written down. She waits through the static, wondering if the company is even open this late.
Someone picks up.
“Sunlight Picture Services, this is Aryana!”
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“And your last name?”
“Henault.”
“Henault… Henault… H… there we go!” Aryana turns away from Sara, scrolling through the shelves until she picks up a cardboard box. “Oh, this was a fun one to make. When my coworker found out it was for the prince, he nearly lost his shit.”
“I sure hope he likes it…” Sara mumbles.
“This? I mean, I don’t know him personally, but I sure hope he will.” Aryana places the box on the counter, then pulls out a roll of glistening orange wrapping paper from under the desk.
“How much do I owe you for that?” Sara reaches for her wallet.
“Oh, wrapping is free of charge!”
She lets out a sigh of relief.
Sunlight Picture Services in Dancity is the first stop that Sara makes after she spends the morning with her roommates. She then goes back to the Spacetime Hotel to give the Traveler and Si’ha Nova their gifts, and finally, she heads to Cyberfunk to meet up with the crew. They switched where they held their holiday celebrations every year, and this year, they would be meeting at Mihaly’s apartment.
With her arms wrapped in presents, she surprises herself by managing to knock on the door without dropping anything.
“Sara!” Mihaly steps aside to give her room to enter. “It’s been too long. You can set your gifts under the tree over there.”
“Sorry if I’m late!” She steps forward. “I’ve done a lot of traveling already…”
“You’re fine. Jack is fashionably late, as always, so you won’t hold up anyone.” Mihaly rolled their eyes. Just when Sara sets the gifts down, she feels herself get lifted into the air, yelping with surprise.
“Sara!” Brezziana exclaims. “Happy Holidays!”
Wanderlust joins the group, appearing from behind the corner. “You made it!” He grins. A chime from Discoball adds to the excitement in the air.
“I’ll start getting hot chocolate ready.” Mihaly says, heading towards the kitchen.
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“Discoball, we all know that you’re beautiful… but this might be the best you’ve ever looked.”
Discoball rocks back and forth, the stars on their new headband bouncing. They twirl around, the room lighting up with laughter as they twirl with glee.
“Alright, next one.” Wanderlust reaches over. Being the one who sat closest to the tree meant that he would be the group’s designated “gift grabber” for the night, as Brezziana had put it. He reaches for the box with tangerine-toned wrapping paper. “Oh, hey, this one’s for me, and it’s from Sara!”
Her heart drops momentarily.
What if this wasn’t what he wanted? What if it wasn’t remotely close to anything on his wish list? She doesn’t look his way, staring at the floor as the rips of the wrapping paper shriek in her ear.
“Sunlight Picture Services… Memory Projector?”
As Wanderlust reads the label on the box, Mihaly puts a hand over her mouth. “Sara… you did not,” they whisper.
“...I did!” She chuckles awkwardly.
“Wait, what is this?” Jack turns to Mihaly. “Should I know what this is?”
“I don’t know what this is… only one way to find out!” Wanderlust shrugs. Fixated with curiosity, he slices open the cardboard with a box cutter. Sara leans over to watch. She hadn’t actually seen the product herself yet, her only knowledge coming from demo pictures on the company’s website.
The prince pulls out a small gadget, a bit smaller than a volleyball, if she had to guess. It looks like a polaroid camera mixed with a joystick controller, painted cobalt blue with some stickers plastered across it. From where she’s sitting, she can see some stars, a carrot, and a glimpse of a crown.
He presses the on button, watching the small screen light up. A pixelated message appeared on the screen that read “WANDERLUST’S MEMORIES,” with a small loading bar underneath. Once the bar is filled, dozens of small squares appear on the screen, each one of a different sight.
“Well, what is it?” Brezziana, who sits to the other side of Wanderlust, leans over to see what the fuss is about.
Mihaly’s apartment has a peaceful silence as Wanderlust starts to flick the joystick, sifting through the photos. He pauses on one, pressing a triangular “play” button. Beams of light blast in front of them, hitting Jack directly in the face.
“Sorry!” Wanderlust apologizes as he moves out of the way, shielding himself from the light.
A thin, translucent image presents itself in front of them. It’s a photo of Brezziana posing, from one time when they all went to the Dance & Record Store. She had her hands in front of her as she kicked her leg back behind her, replicating a pose she had seen on an album cover.
And before they do anything else, the memory starts to play in front of them.
Projector Brezziana stands still for a few more seconds, and when putting her leg back down, her foot accidentally kicks the back of a shelf, sending multiple CDs toppling to the ground.
“Oh no, wait!” Wanderlust says before erupting with laughter as Brezziana frantically starts grabbing the CDs.
It ends there. The memory blinks away, and Wanderlust sifts for another. Click, click, click. He finds another one rather quickly. A photo from their trip to Arty’s Museum, where Jack points at a neon statue. It starts to come to life, right in front of them.
“I swear to Selios, that thing moved,” says Jack, pointing at the effigy, dripped in colorful paint.
“I think you might be losing it, just a little,” Mihaly bites back. “When was the last time you slept?”
“You guys can all ignore me if you want, but I swear that statue moved. It was looking in a different direction five minutes ago,” he insists.
“Hm… sure,” says the shaman, unconvinced.
“What? Why would I lie about this?” asks Jack.
“To mess with us, obviously.” Brezziana chimes in.
Before Jack can refute her, the statue tilts its head, slightly to the left. As Sara gasps, Jack turns back around, and his face lights up.
“SEE?! What did I tell you? What did I tell you guys? That thing is alive!” Jack points back at the sculpture.
“Oh my Selios, lower your voice!” says Sara. “We’re going to get in trouble!”
Projector Jack keeps bragging about his discovery, and the five real people in the room are wordless as they watch.
“How does this even work?” the real Wanderlust asks. Sara can’t exactly capture the tone behind his voice. Confusion? Wonder? Bewilderment? Something else? She’s unsure.
“The woman who worked there tried to explain it to me over the phone… but I didn’t really get it.” Sara confesses. “I guess it’s some kind of mix of technology and flow.”
“Sara…” The memory stops. The beams of light disappear. “This is…”
“Totally awesome!” Brezziana comments first. “So, it takes your photos, and expands them into actual memories?”
“This… this is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.” He’s pretty quiet. It’s a rarity. He rotates the projector in his hands. There’s a wide grin on his face, one of intrigue and wonder.
For a moment, Sara swears she can see stars in his eyes. It’s just the kind of reaction that she was hoping for.
“Well, I’m going to spend tomorrow looking through all of these.” He sets the machine down next to him. “Thank you, Sara! That’s… incredible!”
“I’m really glad you like it.” Sara beams with joy, her earlier worries having vanished completely.
“Okay, okay, what’s next… here!” Wanderlust pulls out a golden gift bag, putting it in Sara’s lap. “It’s my gift to you.”
“Oh, thanks!” Sara pulls out the tissue paper, setting it aside. She can feel something incredibly soft as she reaches in and pulls out a cream-colored faux fur coat.
“Oh my goodness!” She unfolds the fabric, looking at the garment. “This is so beautiful, thank you! I’ve been looking to get a new coat, so this is great!”
“Really?” the prince asks. “That’s great!”
“See, Wander?” Jack chimes in. “I told you that everything would work out.”
Sara turns her head to Jack, curious. “What do you mean?”
“Wander had no idea what to get you as a gift,” says Jack. “He was panicking all month about it.”
“Panicking?” Wanderlust’s face pales just a bit. “Okay, panicking is a very strong word. I wouldn’t say I was panicking.”
“Your texts to me say otherwise...” The pop star smirks as he starts to go through his phone.
“Wha- Jack!”
Wanderlust attempts to reach over and swipe Jack’s phone out of his hands. Jack only laughs, pushing him away as the others entertain themselves with the spectacle. Mihaly quickly snaps a photo of the two, leaning towards Brezziana and whispering as they show her the photo.
“If I get one of those projectors myself, this is absolutely going to be the first thing in it.”