"Perhaps you just overlooked someone on the list. Have you checked it twice?" asked her friend, picking up the catalog and looking it over.
"Har-har. I've checked the thing a billion times, Daisy!"
"That seems like an exaggeration."
"If I wasn't so holly-jolly I might take offense to that comment."
"Thank goodness it's Christmas, huh?"
"To be completely frank, that was sarcasm."
"I know, but I figured you didn't need me to remind you."
"Alright, alright. So what's your advice?"
"Maybe you're just looking for someone who isn't a friend yet. Any plans to go out and talk to people this Christmas?"
"Sure, but, so what? I always do a public address this time of year."
"No, I mean, are you going out to meet people?"
"Ah, no. No I wasn't. I kind of wanted to be quiet at home for the most part."
As the two princesses conversed at the castle Mario strolled along Mushroom Road, pondering Christmas himself. It seemed like the Mushroom Kingdom was missing something. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was as if there was less exuberance about it this year for no real reason. People were excited, certainly, but...it was like Christmas was just a party, and it had always been more than that in the past. What was it that everyone had lost, including himself? He shook his head and frowned. He needed to find the missing detail before the day actually came, or this might be the first forgettable Christmas he'd had.
"Mama-mia."
"Almost there. And there it- WOA!!" cried Yoshi as the ladder from which he was hanging lights tipped and then fell, taking him with it. A short plunge into a snowdrift and a vigorous shaking away of the stuff later, he looked up at his roof. The lights were perfectly set despite his fall. Yet it still looked wrong. Maybe it was because he was depressed. Yoshi's Island was as Christmas-y as it had ever been, but he was sort of sad and didn't know why.
"What I need is to hang out with some friends. I'll have Mario and Luigi and Peach and Daisy over. That should solve my Christmas blues...right?"
Suddenly hopeful, he scrambled into his bedroom and pulled out some paper. Five minutes later the invitations were on their way out via Shy Guy post.
"Okay. Now I just wait. Hrmm...I wish the other Yoshis weren't all shopping out and about. I'd like to hang out with some friends now. I guess I just wait. Why's Christmas so- ordinary this year?"
Meanwhile Bowser sat in his room regarding a random coin he'd picked up earlier. He didn't notice his son come in. After regarding the Koopa King a while, Bowser Jr. cleared his throat.
"Dad?" he began. "I'd like to decorate this year."
"Decorate what?"
"The castle."
"We just redecorated, son. Why would we do it again?"
"No, I mean...um...for Christ- mas."
Bowser had a peculiar habit of holding his breath when stunned. This time he nearly turned blue.
"Why do you want to decorate?"
"Well, I think it would be a nice gesture."
"Gesture of what?"
"I dunno...the season, maybe?"
"Son... I didn't think I'd have to tell you this, but...we don't celebrate Christmas around here."
"I just thought we could try something new-"
"We just can't."
"Why not?"
"It's just not-"
"Not what?"
"Not really a good fit in our way of life."
"Well can't we just deco-"
"No. We- I'm sorry, it's just not possible. That's final. Understand? Final."
Bowser Jr. hesitated a moment. Then with an air of resignation he said, "Alright, Dad," and walked out of the room into a crowd of anticipating Koopalings.
"What'd he say?" asked Larry.
"Did he agree?" demanded Roy.
"Can we use a lot of rings and sparkly things?" cried Wendy.
"Everyone wait a moment," interposed Ludwig. "Give him a moment to breathe!"
"Sor-sorry, guys."
The Koopalings looked at him and then slowly meandered away, one-by-one, until only Bowser Jr. and Ludwig were left.
"It's like I told you, your highness," Ludwig muttered. "He won't budge on the subject. You aren't the first to ask."
"I just thought if anyone could change his mind it would be me."
"I know. Hope is always a good thing, if a little foreign around here. Next year, maybe."
"I just wish we could celebrate Christmas around here. I don't want to copy all of the other kingdoms or anything, but I feel like they might be getting something we're not."
"Perhaps so. We can only wait, I suppose."
Continued later this week.
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