Chapter Text
It was the night before christmas and all through Banda Terrace, not a creature was stirring, not even a Mazoku. Though there were no stockings and no chimney, and no hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there, the children of the dark clan were nestled in bed, with thoughts of a Christmas date with Momo running through Shamiko’s head.
Visions of frolicking through the town, hands held tight, and seeing all the Christmas lights.Perhaps they would share a cake from the Cafe Asura, and later stop by the park full of cats,now outfitted in little Santa costumes, that Momo loves so much. Then write their names on ornaments for the Tama Shopping District Christmas Tree (sponsored by Muruma Meat). At the end of the night exchange gifts at a sacred place, under the sakura tree at Tama Park.
And maybe exchange something more than gifts, Shamiko dreamed to herself. After all, Christmas is a couple’s holiday.
Unfortunately her slumber was awoken by a clatter, a suspicious banging on the front door. Shamiko sprang from bed to see what was the matter, who could possibly be knocking at such an hour. She groggily pulled herself out of bed, quite reluctantly as Dream Demons tend to, and made her way to the front door, her tail dragging as she went.
“Ahh-who is it...what could you-” Shamiko opened the door, quite annoyed at being awoken from her dream.
“~Momo!” Her mood improved dramatically. Her limp tail that was dragged behind her shot up and was now wagging like an excited dog.
“What do you need at such an-” All was not right though, Momo had a very distressed look on face. Though this was not unusual per say, this time it felt more serious than normal.
“Bad news Shamiko, Santa isn’t coming”
“...huh? Santa?” Shamiko became visibly confused, her tail forming the slightest shape of a question mark subconsciously.
“You can’t trick me, magical girl!” Shamiko continued after a second of mental processing.
“I know this is some sort of trap, to make me look foolish.” Shamiko pointed at Momo accusingly.
“I am a grown up mazoku, there is no way I would believe in Santa now.” Shamiko smugly stated. She of course did believe in Santa, but in her moment of processing events she came to one conclusion that this was some sort of trick. After several months she had become a bit aware of how gullible she was about things, such as flying battleships or nuclear squid fishing, and Santa was certainly an absurd thing.
Well she was certainly not going to let Momo win this time. So naturally she lied, though very badly. “What a ridiculous concept, how could one guy deliver all those presents in one night.”
“Big sis, who is at the door” Ryoko, also awoken by the commotion, drowsily stumbled out of her room.
“No no no” Momo waved her hand in front of her face, dismissing Shamiko’s complaints. “you got it all wrong. Santa is obviously real, he is a powerful Light Clan member. He uses magic to travel around the world and deliver presents in one night. It probably should not be such a stretch since I am a magical girl and you are a mazoku.”
“But even magic has its limits. He relies on magical girls and other Light Clan members to deliver the last stop in many places. I used to help Sakura with this as a child...” Momo looked down pensively, recalling memories of her older sister.
“Since sis isn’t around now, there is no one covering Tama City. This wasn’t a problem until recent supply chain issues, one thing leads to the next, and the short of it is Santa can’t make it this year’ Momo hand waved a lot of the description away.
“Momo is right sis, Ms. Ogura explained it to me when I asked how Santa did it.” Ryoko yawned.
“Oh.” Shamiko looked dejected, her tail dipping down again. Even Ryoko knew this basic fact. She can’t believe she second guessed herself and let Momo win, AGAIN.
“Well thanks for the information, I am going back to bed.” Shamiko turned around trying to put this embarrassment behind her, completely forgetting Momo’s original purpose.
“Not so fast you Grinch Mazoku” Shamiko felt a jerk on her tail as she was pulled to a halt, lost her balance and fell to the ground face first.
“Oyompf”
“I told you to stop pulling my halt cord” Shamiko murmured from the floor.
“Shamiko, this is important. Santa is not coming!!” Momo said just a deadbeat as ever. Shamiko had pulled herself off the floor and could see a subtle look of panic in Momo’s face. Something about this was bothering her.
“Well it sounds like a Light Clan problem, a demon of darkness” Shamiko ignored this, much rather just going back to sleep.
“Shamikoooooooo”
“Ahhh” Shamiko screamed. A very frightening appearance; Mikan, her head sat on Momo’s shoulder; tears streamed down her face.
“It’s Ugallu’s first Christmas and now she won’t get any presents.” Mikan sobbed.
“Ugallu is Dark Clan, and also a familiar, would she even get presents” Shamiko questioned, not even sure herself.
“She will! She will!” Mikan sobbed.
“That is not the point.” Momo said again, waving off any concerns Shamiko had.
“You are the boss of this town, you must take responsibility.” Momo pointed at Shamiko sternly.
Shamiko took a look at Mikan crying on Momo’s shoulder, her case was pretty questionable. She turned around and saw Ryoko who was far past her bedtime. She was dozing off on her feet.
“Ryo, it’s time to be a good girl and go back to bed.” Seiko was drowsy in a different way; a glass of Mazokukoroshi Sake in her hand. Out of everyone here she was the most out of it. “You won’t get any presents.”
“Yes Mom” Ryoko yawned and headed back to her room.
Shamiko could not argue with what she saw.
“I guess you are right, so what do we do?”