Chapter Text
(Christmas. A holiday you don’t even have to celebrate to enjoy. Sure, it get’s a little nuts… Okay, a lot but the point is, it’s a borderline magical time of year. Especially if you’re a kid. Everyone’s either seen of been that kid who is so excited for Christmas they can’t even contain themselves…)
(Now imagine 97 of them in one house and you’ve got a pretty good idea of where this story takes place.)
(Yes, it was Christmas on 101 Dalmatian Street and the house was as crazy as one could expect. The pups were scurrying about left and right helping put the family’s large tree up in the living room. Dylan was supervising, as usual.)
Dylan. “No, guys. You gotta spread the ornaments out evenly or else it looks lopsided.”
Dolly. “Bro, chill. It’s a Christmas tree, not the Eiffel Tower.”
Dylan. “Well, even a Christmas tree can look just as beautiful with a little direction.” (Something catches his eye.) “No. Don’t put the sentimental ornaments in the back, no one will see them.”
Dolly. (Rolling her eyes.) “Only you could make a decorating a Christmas tree boring.”
(Despite this, the tree looked beautiful. Multicolored lights, ribbons, all kinds of ornaments. But the most important part was dotted around the tree were 101 special ornaments. Some black, some white. And each one with a family members name on it. Some had a personal touch to them, like Da Vinci’s had different color paint splotches, or Diesel’s was a bit dirty. Deepak’s had a yin-yang symbol on the back, and Dante’s was Vantablack, darkest shade of black on the planet. It was all coming together.)
(Elsewhere around the house, Da Vinci was overseeing the Dimitri’s as they wrapped decorative greenery around the banisters… Which was, of course. Easier said, than done.)
Da Vinci. “Okay, so. We need it to have in a descending spiral that-Wait, no! Don’t swing with it and- Ugh… Never mind.”
(In the backyard, Dawkins, Dante, and DJ were putting lights on the pups treehouse.)
Dawkins. “Now, If the data you gave me is correct, I should be able to rig these light to blink in time with any song played from your keyboard.”
DJ. “Bro, I never mess up when it comes to musical timing. This will work.” (He watched Dante carefully wrap lights around Dylan’s telescope.) “Heh, Y’know. I’m kinda surprised you two are into it this year. Usually You think it’s, ‘Just frivolous’ and Dante is usually… Well, not a dog I’d describe as, ‘merry’.”
Dawkins. “And you’d usually be correct, brother… But even I can’t deny. After the year we had, a little frivolity might be what we all need…”
DJ. “Heard that. And Dante?”
Dante. “What are you talking about? A holiday where we decorate our homes in the image of a Christmas Deity, so he’ll bless them with his presence. Leave him an offering so he’ll leave gifts. AND he leaves reminders of ill behavior to those he deems, ‘naughty’ Please, this has all the makings of the summoning of an elder spirit, just more colorful.”
(DJ and Dawkins swapped concerned looks.)
DJ. “I’m not sure that’s what they have in mind when they say this is a ‘religious’ holiday…”
(Back inside, the pups were putting the finishing touches on the tree, with Dylan going behind them and making sure each ornament was hung just right.)
Dolly. “Huh. Who knew that the only thing Christmas needed was a micro-manager.”
Dylan. “Laugh if you must, dear sister. But thanks to my, ‘micro-managing’ our tree will be the best looking in Camden town.”
Dolly. “It’ll certainly be the one with the most ornaments.” (From behind her, she heard the door scanner beep and their mom and dad walked in.)
Delilah. “Brrr. With a chill like this, there should be snow on the ground.”
Doug. “Yeah, too bad we live in London…”
Dolly. “Oh, hey mum. Hey dad.”
Delilah. “Hello sweets, I hope everything wasn’t too crazy.” (Her face lit up when she saw the tree.)
“Oh, sweets. That’s looks perfect! Absolutely perfect!”
Doug. “You’ve really outdone yourselves this year!”
(All the pups gathered around them as they sat in front of the tree.)
Delilah. “Oh, I love Christmas…” (She wrapped her paws around all pups sitting closest.) “Especially after the year we had.”
Doug. (Picking up Dorothy and letting her sit on his head.) “Ain’t that the truth…”
(The family just sat there, looking at the tree as seemed to glow brighter for a moment…)
Delilah. “You know… I love Christmas as it is already… But did you all know that the Christmas season is extra special for our family?”
Dylan. “It is? How?”
Dolly. “Wait, this isn’t gonna be a lame, love story. Is it?”
Delilah. (Playfully swatting at her.) “Oh hush. It’s not a “’lame’ love story… It’s a beautiful one.”
(Dolly and a few others, like Delgado. Groaned.)
Delilah. “Christmas is actually when the Dalmatians, our ancestors. Officially became a family.”
(Suddenly, even the pups who groaned were interested.)
Delgado. “Really?”
Dizzy. “How?”
Delilah. “Well. It was Christmas when my great-great grandpa and granny. Pongo and Perdita. Had, against any and all odds. Brought both their own pups and the 84 the had rescued back home to London. Now, at this time. They were still living with their owners.”
Dolly. “Yeah, I keep forgetting our family was pretty tight with humans at one point.”
Delilah. “And it was a good thing, too. For whatever reason… One I can only guess was divine influence. Instead of turning away what would have been no doubt a lot of trouble. Those two wonderful humans chose to keep all 84 of those new pups. Promising to move to a bigger place.”
DeeDee. “Wow… Who knew humans could be so nice…”
Delilah. “Mm hm. And right then and there. Though Great-great granddad and granny had already made up their minds. The first generation of our family was born. One-hundred-and-one Dalmatians. It didn’t matter that they weren’t related by blood. They had proven they were a family by staying strong for each other to the end. No matter what happened. And they stayed that way for years to come… To right here and now… To all of us.”
Doug. “And I think it’s safe to say we’ve proven the same thing. Though, maybe not at Christmas.”
Delilah. “Exactly. So, yes. The Christmas season could very well be seen as the anniversary of our families legacy.”
Doug. “And what a legacy it is…”