Work Text:
Okarun burst into Jiji’s classroom, during their lunch break, waving the latest issue of his paranormal magazine. The redhead bobbed his eyebrows when he saw him and readied himself for the info dump. The occult nerd's eyes were bright with that ‘I found something amazing’ energy. His nerd friend often looked like that when encountering something cool. Kinta was also sitting there with Jiji. He was just as nerdy, but in a different kind of way. Kinny was a lot better at math. They were trying to sort out a rather difficult homework assignment he was behind on (instead of going to the cafeteria).
Okarun was already announcing his latest find before he reached them. “Oh guess what: this month’s feature is on Santa Claus! They have more supporting evidence that he’s an alien. A legit UAP!”
Jiji clicked the button on his pen a few times as he thought about that. He still believed in the Christmas miracle, despite his classmate's claims that it was something the Western world made up for kids. It was during his fondest childhood years that he spent abroad in the U.S. His parents had some kind of special work assignment then. That's why he didn't get to see Momo and her grandma for a long time after.
In the U.S., he learned about things. Cool things, like holidays that give free candy, fast food, wide open spaces, and so many different kinds of sports… and Santa Claus. Japan apparently didn't celebrate Christmas in the same way that other countries did. It was like Valentines Day, part two. It was hard trying to explain the Santa idea to his new classmates here.
“Yeah, but Santa Claus isn’t an alien. He’s just… well, Santa,” Jiji just squeezed his eyes shut and grinned like a goober, leaving it at that. He really wasn't in the mood to get into this debate again, now. His assignment was already late by a day, no thanks to random interruptions from a certain diabolical apparition sharing his headspace.
Kinta, however, immediately sided with Okarun since he believed the science behind Santa's abilities also didn't make sense. Of course. It must be a four-eyed thing. He leaned into Jiji, jabbing him with more evidence. “Think about it, pretty boy. It's just for one night, and this fat man gets inside billions of houses. That's.. impossible! Unless he has warp drive propulsion with an ion shield, or phased dimensional travel-”
“Yeah, that's why he's gotta be an alien to do that!" Okarun sputtered, showing their article in his magazine. “No one can really make a claim because the facts are never aligning on what people try to report.”
“Or that it's just a fairy tale our parents made up so that us kids would behave,” Kinta huffed, adding his previous claim.
Jiji sighed and raised an eyebrow, squarely looking at both. “Is that what you think? Not the spirit of giving, or the meaning of family.. and food. Just alien logistics?”
“How would you prove that?” Kinta hummed. “Private Takakura has a point. I never saw him sneak into my house.”
“Don't say he's also a ghost,” Okarun looked at Jiji in dismay.
This argument started pushing on so many buttons emotionally. If Four Eyes really wanted to prove something, then Evil Eye just wasn't going to ‘let it go’.
His internal dialogue with the child-like entity had grown into something more of a constant, the more comfortable they became with each other. The training with Miss Seiko to learn how to hold each other back instead had morphed into them becoming more connected. It was easier to be more symbiotic, and share each other's chi. To be aware of each other’s actions in body and mind.
Or was that really better? It felt more like having a little brother always looking over his shoulder. Always being a distraction.
A mystical alien that sneaks into homes at night? Using... dimensional travel? To trick kids? Evil Eye’s aura crackled around the edges of Jiji's consciousness in angry irritation. The fact Okarun was there and being confrontational didn't help matters.
Tell me more about this ‘Santa’. I want to fight Takakura about him now!
But Jiji groaned inside their shared mind. Dude... calm down. Santa's not an invading alien.
He invades homes worldwide to trick kids. That is threat behavior, Evil Eye argued. Jiji then sensed it was because of that protective vibe concerning kids. That was why he wanted to murder before– all the combined negative energy from his yokai curse had made him soooo angry, seeing the sacrifice of so many kids. Then the trauma from the Space Globalists had made him wary all over again.
Okay, I gotchu.. . But Santa is not a bad guy. See, he likes to help kids. And his thoughts switched to be spoken for everyone's knowledge. “That's what my parents told me,” the redhead pointed at them, with a smirk and a wink. “He's the Christmas spirit!”
Okarun picked up his magazine to look for that specific part in the article, but as he did so he bumped into Kinta's cold can of tea. That sent a splash of droplets in Jiji's direction.
Jiji instantly lost control of his actions after the cold liquid hit his hand. The Evil Eye really wanted out with the intent to save them from this new menace! These sudden attacks happen to them a lot, interrupting his day.
“Who is this red-suited invader? What's Christmas? I want to stop him now, Takakura!” Evil Eye immediately confronted the shorter nerd, his voice carrying that deep, vibrating echo.
Both of the four-eyed teens blinked, exchanging glances. “Oh. Great.”
The now blonde-haired teen's iridescent eyes glowed as the room vibed with more of a static buzz. “If this Santa can break into every house across the planet, undetected, then that makes him a worthy rival! Does he challenge humans directly? Does he crush the weak? Explain!”
Takakura shook his head, eyebrows furrowed to ‘fluff himself up’ more. “No. He just wants to give them presents.”
Evil Eye froze. “Presents?”
“Yes.”
“For... everyone?”
“Yes. On Christmas.”
“And he does not demand tribute?”
“No.”
Evil Eye's aura faded ever so slightly. He frowned, stunned by the concept of a powerful cosmic figure who was actually good. A being of great generosity, who just hands out gifts without asking for anything in return. No sacrifice or offering. Or world domination? How? Why!?
“He chooses peace even with this much power?”
“Yup.”
Jiji felt the apparition's emotions flicker in his soul. Evil Eye rarely felt moved by such acts of goodwill, but this one was giving him the big time feels. Jiji's aura glimmered with delight that he understood and agreed with him on this.
“Why have I never heard of Santa before?”
Takakura couldn't hold back anymore and began explaining about the lore in greater detail. “Santa Claus used to be only known in the Western world. He started as a human from a really cold place,” Takakura said, adjusting his glasses. He clearly was struggling a little to keep from info dumping in his usual verbose way (because sometimes Evil Eye doesn't comprehend) so he just pointed to his magazine. “Long ago.. like, thousands of years ago. He was from a country called Turkey– well, it wasn’t called that back then, just someplace in northern Europe. But that’s where Santa had lived.”
Evil Eye tilted his head. “A warrior of the cold lands?”
“Not a warrior,” Takakura corrected, raising his hand to make quote gestures. “A protector. His original name was Saint Nicholas of Myra, or then also Sinter Klaas in Dutch. He was known for sneaking around at night to give gifts to people who needed help. Quietly. No witnesses.”
“…A shadow benefactor,” Evil Eye arched an eyebrow.
“Yeah! And over time, stories about him spread to other countries, especially places with snow, all over Europe. Humans kept believing in him so much that he… changed. Like from belief-based energy.”
“…belief power,” Evil Eye repeated, his aura clearly humming now in tune with Jiji’s excitement.
“Exactly. The more people who believed he was real, the stronger he became. Eventually, he wasn’t just some human guy anymore, he became the Great Legend of Santa Claus.” Sakata jumped in to exaggerate that reality with a sweeping hand motion. “Red suit. Beard. Sleigh. Reality-breaking speed.”
“But how he got like that is up for debate,” Takakura edged back in again. “Because going from a regional area to all over the world is crazy. Some versions of him are not as nice, due to pagan influences. Asian countries aren't entirely sold on him either becau–”
“He uses this power… not to conquer?” Evil Eye’s eyes narrowed. Because every other super powerful being like they had encountered wanted to wreck their world.
“Nope. He judges behavior instead.” Takakura nodded. “Good people get the presents.”
At that time, Momo Ayase came up to them with a disgruntled look on her face. She didn't look happy that her Okarun hadn't met her for lunch. Or something like that. It's usually been that.
“What’s with the creepy power surge? I could feel it from the hall,” she huffed, already armed with a hot can of coffee she got from the vending machine. For Jiji.
“Evil Eye just found out about Santa,” Takakura turned toward her, adjusting his glasses.
The Evil Eye stared at the drink, wrinkling his nose at it. It was plain black coffee, no sweetener. His least favorite. He didn't take that as a clue to get lost either.
“And that's a problem?” Momo grumbled. She impatiently shoved the can she opened into the stubborn blonde's mouth, forcing him to drink so that the hot liquid would change him back.
“Ugh…no,” Jiji was back in control again, replacing his sputtering cough with his trademark hyperactive smirk to deflect her rage. “He just wanted to fight Santa because Okarun said he was an alien.”
“Long story short, we were debating on who Santa Claus was,” Kin-chan just stated the facts.
“He is an alien. I have proof!” Okarun had to support his claim.
“But he's not. He's got too much history– he's more like a ghost.” Jiji looked at Momo with pleading eyes, grabbing her arm. “You agree with me, right Momo-chan?”
She just started laughing now. “Okay, you guys are hopeless!” Unfortunately Momo maybe had over-reacted a bit too much, because when she pulled away, her pompy squirted through the straw onto his hand.
Not liking being laughed at, Evil Eye came right back with his own two cents. “Who cares who Santa is. If he is a bringer of miracles, he will grant them. I want presents!”
Kinta rolled with this and leaned in from behind Momo. “This is going to be good. What will he wish for..? Infinite power? World conquest?”
“Shuddap, Perv,” she glared at him.
Jiji squirmed internally with apprehension now. This was getting a little embarrassing. Please no world domination. Or anything that explodes!
The yokai teen just narrowed his regular eyes, while his third eye glimmered. “I request a laser sword. A big one that can slice through a cliff!”
Takakura adjusted his glasses, once his eyes regained normal size again, and cleared his throat. “No.”
“Okay, then a legion of skeleton warriors armed with meteor hammers!”
Momo crossed her arms, in disbelief. “Hell no. Why?!”
The possessed blond teen snorted, but wasn't about to give up yet. “What about a castle that floats five meters above the ground at all times?”
“Uh… sorry. No, that doesn't really exist in this world. Yet.” It was Sakata's turn to make a face.
“Fine, how about a powerup pack that lets me fly.”
“Nope. Try again,” Momo sighed, at the same time blocking Kinta from saying anything about his nanotech.
"So no little pet dinosaur either?" He frowned.
“Oh,” Takakura finally caught on that Evil Eye was mostly referencing the things he saw in the video games that they had been playing. “Yeah, uhm, that only happens in Smash Bros.”
Jiji discovered that this virtual distraction helped curb Evil Eye's restless desire to fight. However, trying to explain the differences between reality and virtual worlds became the new challenge.
“How come? Is Santa not the God of Christmas? Don't you believe in him?”
“I just...”
Oh, he unknowingly hit on another delicate topic. A topic that brought them back to square one. If one truly believed, would they claim him to be an alien?
“I do! I will believe in Santa. He has the power to do anything I request!”
“Well… Santa also has this list he goes by,” Takakura pursed his lips. He clearly was cooking up a new strategy to deter from these 'out of range' gift ideas, as well as cover up his own doubts.
“Oh right, he does,” the other two caught on as quickly.
“Only good people get presents, but bad people get… nothing.” Takakura sighed.
Evil Eye stiffened, wondering what that meant. “Nothing?”
Momo nodded. “It’s called the Naughty List.”
Silence.
“…a Naughty List,” Evil Eye said slowly, not taking his eyes off of Takakura. It was as if that was a new rule the nerd alone made up.
Sakata gestured with his hands like he was holding a clipboard with a list, to back up that claim. “Yes sir. A global record of morale that's enforced annually.”
“Uh-huh.” Takakura agreed, glancing between the others briefly.
“And those who fail?”
“Sometimes they get coal.”
Evil Eye’s aura flared. “He marks the unworthy with the remnants of dead stars?”
“Symbolically!” Takakura yelped.
The entity folded his arms, contemplating. “This Santa Claus chooses between the good and the bad for his generosity… despite possessing overwhelming power?”
“Yeah,” Takakura said more quietly, before admitting to the final blow. “But there's one more thing.”
“What?” He narrowed his eyes.
“Well, based on the rules,” the short nerd swallowed. “You’re definitely on the Naughty List.”
The room erupted with indigo static. “TAKAKURA! WHY?!”
The others raised their defenses immediately.
“I followed your human rules– I do not murder!” he bellowed at Takakura.
Takakura dropped his hands from the fight stance he assumed since Evil Eye played nice and didn't start pounding on them out of spite. “But you wanted to murder.”
“His name doesn't help either.” Sakata thoughtfully added, edging a little further back.
“It was the underwear. I am good now!” He stamped his feet. Yes, the sinister yokai stayed with that cursed object, but the habits it instilled were.. sometimes hard to break.
“Not my rules. It's Santa's,” Takakura shrugged.
“But I. Am. Good!” The tall blonde fumed, clenching his fists too. “Tell him that! I am the Good Eye!”
“Okay, but I'm not the one in charge of what he decides.” The shorter frowned. Yes, that was the one sad truth about the legend that didn't seem fair. And Takakura had that way of sticking to the rules just to annoy him. Afterall, was the entity saying that out of his greed for free presents, or was he truly a changed spirit?
“Where is he now?” he glowered.
“He doesn’t share his location,” Takakura looked up to him. Even if he said ‘North Pole’, that would not be descriptive enough to pinpoint where the fat man was. That part of the legend was actually a made up lie.
“I demand to challenge him!”
“No. Fighting Santa will certainly keep you on the Naughty List, not to mention breaking your promise with me,” Takakura stated matter of factly, arms crossed.
“How are you so certain about Santa's rules? You have no belief in him!” He raised his fists in contempt. For a moment, he also wished the little nerd had his turbo power back. He missed those fights. Arguing with words like this was not fun.
Takakura did not flinch, but Momo felt like that was enough. Their lunch break was almost over.
“Hey you! Sit. Stop threatening the holiday mascot.” Momo cut in and stared at Evil Eye with her most fearsome glare.
He locked eyes with her for a moment longer before her daggers became unbearable, and finally relinquished his control back to Jiji. Before she had to dump lukewarm black coffee on him.
I am good now… you guys let me live. So I do my best to behave. I do!
… I know. They are just… he hesitated, not sure how the ghost child would understand the concept of being teased. That's exactly what they were doing. Teasing. Jiji couldn't though– it'll just make him more mad...
~ They're just helping you understand.
… I want Takakura to get his powers back. I cannot fight him like this.
~ … Not without Turbo Granny.
Then find Turbo Granny.
~ If we did, I don't think she would just give them back.
I will challenge her! I will show her I am no longer cursed with evil!
~ I thought this was about Santa?
Then Santa shall challenge her! And then Takakura will believe in him too!
~ Aww.. You're actually just worried about Oka–
No! .....you should–
“Eh, sorry…” Jiji suddenly laughed nervously, after noticing the others looking at him weirdly. “He's just mad about not being able to get anything.”
That much was true. Jiji hadn't talked very much openly with them about Evil Eye's past, but he figured out that Momo had sensed the spirit’s past. She had tried to hold him, tried to temper his aura when they tried to exorcize him. Tried. They couldn't because he begged them to stop.
The Evil Eye once was a misunderstood child who looked different from the others. A child no one loved, so in turn had become a sacrifice to appease a greater god. And then, when he finally died, the mountain yokai favored his soul to make it his own. The boy became the yokai, but the yokai took on the appearance of the boys he saw. He watched as more children were selected for the benefit of the greater sacrifice– each time, each decade. But none really satisfied what he craved for. The yokai wanted more power, but the boy resisted him, wishing simply for companionship. He only felt the pain and loneliness, each time as it repeated, each time over. And over. And over again.
All that had angered him so deeply, he also wanted to kill those responsible to avenge them. The yokai tried to temper him, but the hate and pain just grew and grew, festering, expanding into its own domain in the houses where the worm thrived. Somehow, there was still light left in the small boy, trapped at the bottom. Jiji was the first child among so many who actually realized that the boy was only trying to save him from the worm and the evil curse.
That's when the meaning of Santa Claus made so much more sense to Jiji now than ever before. Jiji saw the good in the boy, and wanted to be the friend he never had. He gave him life by just believing in him, that he was not inherently corrupt by the yokai. It was the yokai lore the locals believed in that dictated his evil nature.
~ A wise woman said that the best way to overcome evil, is to help others when they are in trouble. Keep focusing on that.
The redhead made eye contact with Momo, sending that one brain wave that she understood. To just give him one more chance, again.
Momo clicked her tongue and sighed. “Well, okay. Maybe he could get something more practical instead. We could do that much for him.”
Jiji nodded, fully in agreement. “He does like to eat–”
“You both like to eat,” Kinny snorted. He was already on his phone and pulled up the website for KFC. “Here. Get some golden crispy chicken!”
Jiji's face contorted, showing some markings from Evil Eye darkening his features without a full takeover. “No. I have one more request.”
Kinta's eyes just widened. Okarun and Momo weren't as surprised though. They saw him do that a couple times before, when playing video games.
“I wish for Jiji to stop losing his gloves every week.”
Kinta blinked. “Wait. What?”
Evil Jiji’s tone softened, redirecting his focus to Jiji. “You misplace them. It frustrates you, because your hands get cold and wet. Then you argue with me for interrupting. It disrupts our focus– I do not like when you feel small.”
Okarun raised an eyebrow, then nodded. “You know, that request is actually valid.”
“Yes… yes, it is.”
Jiji swallowed, suddenly overcome with their generosity. “Evil Eye… you noticed all that?”
“It is loud in here,” Evil Eye admitted. “Your mind is like a house with thin walls.”
"Um, I can go back to blocking you out–"
"No. I rather you have gloves that do not vanish." He left it at that, and Jiji's complexion returned to his normal redhaired appearance as the other subsided.
The brunette clapped her hands like she just solved a mystery. “It’s settled. Let’s play Santa and get him something after school.”
● ● ●
Later that evening, the group promptly ushered Jiji through town to the department stores. But the journey had its own issues. The cold air bit at his hands, worsened by the flurries, and he had to avoid frost on the handrails.
See? This is exactly the problem!
~ Don't. Come. Out.
I can not participate?
~ No. It's a surprise!
Why?
~ Be happy you're back on the Nice List.
...
The others must have realized this too. Or they saw his struggles. Either way, Momo told him to wait by a street vendor selling hot taiyaki. Baiting the Evil Eye with food rarely failed. Especially tasty sweet bean cakes shaped like fish. Because, yeah, where was the surprise if he also saw what they bought?
They will select what is proper?
Jiji just shoved a taiyaki in his mouth. Trust.
Oh.. yum.
Yes, these were good. He could wait there, eating crispy, warm pastries quite contently. For as long as it took. Or until he ran out of change. Hopefully it didn't take that long. Waiting was the worst!
They finally returned and each handed a bag to Jiji. He set them on the wall by the sidewalk, next to some shrubbery to look inside. Okarun insisted on rugged gloves that could be for hiking in the mountains. Momo had picked a knitted pair of navy mittens with a simple red pattern across the knuckles. Kin-chan chose gloves with built-in hand warmers, because ‘technology is your friend’.
Sure, he expected this and knew their purpose, but the thoughtfulness that was put into each gift touched him so much. It brought tears to his eyes. “Oh man, wow! Thank you!” he said, then pulled them together into a big group hug. “You guys are soooo awesome!”
Momo shrugged, ignoring the warmth spreading over her cheeks. “It’s only ‘cause you like Christmas.”
Okarun smiled, small and real, from the gushing compliment. “And that Evil Eye actually wanted to do something nice.”
Yes. Your hands will no longer get cold and wet. Consider this my Christmas conquest!
Jiji laughed under his breath. His smile was purely genuine as he beamed. “Evil Eye, or Good Eye, said thank you too.”
His smile was infectious, and Okarun couldn't hold back his laugh. “Yeah, I guess he's our friend too, so of course we'll help.”
As they walked home, Kinta felt the need to settle a loose end. “So, about Santa as an alien. Do you think the theory holds up?”
“I still think so.” Okarun voiced his opinion, but kept his sights locked on the sidewalk ahead of them.
Momo elbowed Okarun, knocking him off balance a little. “Nah, he can’t be.”
“He is.”
“He’s not.”
“What’s your proof?” The nerd was bold enough to question her now.
“So what just happened was not convincing enough for you to see?” she was pointed with her answer.
Okarun held his tongue, thinking through his words before responding. “Maybe.”
Momo put an arm around Okarun’s shoulders to whisper in his ear. “It's okay, I didn't believe in it very much either when I was younger."
He couldn't hear his response, but there was something else going on. It clearly left Okarun flustered and he stepped away to have more space. The redhead wondered again... just 'when'? It's become like a secret running bet between the others now.
Because, yeah... Christmas was not always about Santa here. His other half didn’t know that yet, though.
Tell him Santa is real when you believe. He is the God of Christmas! He has the power to possess people!
Jiji winced, after suddenly hearing Evil Eye's interpretation. But he cleared his throat and waved his hands. Like jazz hands. “Yeah, it's all about feeling the Christmas spirit.”
No… Tell them. Or I will.
Then he pursed his lips, took a breath, then added. “Evil Eye wants to play Santa. Tell him what you want.”
Okarun furrowed his brow. “He ..what?”
Kin-chan just smiled, then did his best salute before clearing his throat. “This sounds like a mission for the Great Kinta as well! Because! I have just one question for the shady one.”
A pause. Then. “How?
What does he mean… ‘how?’ It’s only right for me to return the generosity!
Okarun snapped his fingers. “Right… legend says Santa has a workshop to.. ‘create’ the presents. And he would have ‘elves’ helping him. Maybe he just uses aliens. Much like what Serpoians do by ‘hiring’ others to do their ‘dirty work’. Ludris also has technology to…”
What does he mean by ‘how?’ Talk to them!
~ It's not that easy...
You think I'm going to steal?!
"Its okay, no probs." Jiji just made a goober face and shuffled a bit before trailing behind the others as the nerds rambled on. It made some sense to him, but that was the downer for being as spiritually gifted as he was. Some people just didn't get it right away.
It would be amazing if that part of Santa's magic did work, for reals. Then he wouldn't have to get a part time job to pay for the presents. That might be tough because of his soccer schedule.
But Okarun stopped, literally stopped. He looked back and then stepped over so he was next to his friend. “We can.. ask for things that don't need to be bought,” he reassured him, smiling slightly as he adjusted his glasses.
“Aw.. really?”
“Sure!” The shorter looked away, apparently feeling bashful. “...it's about the spirit. Right?”
See! See! That's how! Punch him!
“Graahh! C'mere!” Jiji did almost as instructed, practically glomping Okarun into a bear hug as the little nerd screeched.