POV Rio
It was Christmas Eve, and everyone was having a great time. I had made eggnog using some transmutation magic to make some ingredients. I had even shared it with the community. Cait spiked the eggnog yesterday and got herself, Curie, and MacCready stupidly drunk. Now all three were suffering with the consequences.
"I hate you, Cait," MacCready said with a grimace.
"Ugh, don't yell so loudly," Cait complained.
"I do not care for this feeling. Alcohol is very bad for one's health," Curie said while trying to ignore her headache.
"Sigh. I am going to help all of you, but I am warning you all now. No more drinks until tomorrow, understood?" I say while staring at Cait specifically.
"Yes, yes, I promise no more booze for tonight. Just get rid of this awful hangover, please," Cait practically begged.
I cast some healing spells that cured their hangovers, and they all gave a loud sigh of relief. I rolled my eyes and went back to reading the spell I had planned to cast tonight. I was both nervous and excited to try it out. I had cast very few ritual spells, but from what I understood, they were often very powerful. In exchange, they had high material costs, required lengthy chants, and needed to be done during specific times and places. Luckily, I had everything I needed for this ritual. It had low material cost but had very specific requirements. It could only be cast on December 24th between the hours of 2000-2200, and you had to do it in a building that had a chimney. Then you had to sing the entire Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer song backwards with red paint on your nose. Oh, and you had to do so while naked.
But after doing all those bizarre things, you would be granted some truly broken powers. Flight, Teleportation, Toy/Gift Creation, Naughty or Nice Sense, Invulnerability, Magic, Weather Manipulation, Super Strength, and most abstractly of all, Wonder Embodiment. From what I could understand, it meant I would become the embodiment of wonder and joy, whatever that means. Regardless, my plan was to use this to spread some joy to this dark and twisted world, even if only by a little bit. I wasn't too sure how many people would get gifts versus something other than coal, as that is too good for naughty people. Coal is actually quite valuable in the apocalypse.
'Hmm, maybe I can give them a stink bomb? Or something equally smelly?'
As I was thinking of what to use, I had a truly awful idea. I even had a truly grinch-like smile.
I waited for the time for the ritual and started the strange ritual.
POV Cait
I heard some strange sounds coming from upstairs and decided to check it out. When I got closer, I started to hear music coming from one of the rooms.
'Isn't that the room Rio has been doing somethin' in for the last bit?'
I open the door slightly and see something that makes my mind freeze.
Inside the room was Rio dancing around in a circle, completely naked, singing something in what sounded like gibberish.
'I think I should lay off Psycho for tonight. Or maybe a couple of days.'
I was certain I was hallucinating.
'After all, no way it's that big.'
I had to avoid looking at the pendulum that keeps swinging every time Rio moves. I shook my head and went back to bed.
POV Rio
Once the ritual was done, the spell circle started to glow red and green. I felt my body start to shift. My hands and feet disappeared and were replaced with hooves. My horn split and turned into a mighty set of antlers. The pain on my nose grew into a large red ball. My fur color shifted to a dark brown with a white underbelly. A set of sleigh bells appeared over my chest. I fell to all fours and felt my torso shift into a more animalistic form. When the transformation ended, I became a red-nosed reindeer. I tested some of my powers. I flew through the house and made the presents for my friends. Then I left the house through a window.
My method of flight was unique. It was like prancing through the sky. My first stop was the many houses throughout Goodneighbor. There weren't many people on the nice list, but that was okay. Those on the naughty list got a small package of Thioacetone. It is the most foul-smelling thing humanity has ever discovered in my last life. It was so foul that it could cause unconsciousness and vomiting in an area as large as half a mile. Now, I didn't want to stink bomb everyone, so each present was enchanted to only affect those it was meant for. Which meant it was really hard to get away from the smell.
After Goodneighbor was Diamond City. It had a few more people on the nice list but that didn't matter as I had a little accident.
CRASH
I look down and see an old lady sprawled on the ground. I just froze there with a worried look.
'Oops. I hope she is okay.'
I go over to her and breathe a sigh of relief as I can tell she is on the naughty list. Oh yeah, and she was still alive.
'Eh, it's Ann Codman, not like anyone will be upset she got run over by a reindeer. Huh? Wait, was this destined to happen? She is an old lady, and I am a reindeer.'
I shrugged my shoulders and left Ann Codman where she was. What I didn't know at the time was that someone saw me run her over and then fly away.
I quickly finished with Diamond City and moved on to the rest of the Commonwealth. I wanted to do the whole world, but the spell wouldn't last long enough, and I didn't want to see how many people were on the naughty list. Something told me it would be really depressing. So instead, I traveled all across the Commonwealth delivering gifts and spreading joy wherever I went. One of the standout places was a small settlement in the far south of Boston. It was a place called Sommerville Place. It was home to a family of 4. But the father was very sick and didn't look like he would live long.
'Let's see if I can help.'
I entered the house and walked to the father, who was lying awake in his bed. He saw me and had a look of fear at first, but after a couple of seconds of being in my presence, he calmed down.
"Have you come to take me to the afterlife?" He asked.
"No, I am here to give you a gift. It's not your time yet. Not as long as you don't give up," I reply.
I cast a spell, and I could see the look of relief on his face. The ailment he had was far beyond the ability of my magic, normally, but in this form, I could skirt the rules by marking it as a gift. But the next part would be both fun and tricky.
"Now it's time for you to start walking," I say with a beaming smile.
"Oh, no, I can't walk. My legs are too weak," he said with sorrow.
"Nonsense, you just have to try," I say while motioning for him to try.
He tries, but his heart isn't in it, and he stops.
"I can't do it. It's just too difficult," he says with a hopeless expression.
"Difficult? Hahahahahaha. Why, why look here. Changing your circumstances is as easy as taking your first step," I say while music starts playing.
(AN: Play Put One Foot in Front of the Other - Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Lyrics) [4K HD] on YouTube for the music. Or Santa Claus Is Comin To Town (1970) (Mickey Rooney)- One Foot In Front Of The Other [Karaoke] for no vocals. Bold text = father singing.Italicized text = Rio and backup vocal singing.)
"Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking 'cross the flooooooor
You put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door
~~~
You never will get where you're going
If ya never get up on your feet
Come on, there's a good tail wind blowin'
A fast walking man is hard to beat
~~~~~
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking 'cross the floooooor
You put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door
~~~~~
If you want to change your direction
If your time of life is at hand
Well, don't be the rule; Be the exception
A good way to start is to stand
~~~~~~~
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking 'cross the floooooor
You put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door
~~~~~~~~~~
If I want to change the reflection
I see in the mirror each morn... (Oh, you do?)
You mean that it's just my election? (Just that)
To vote for a chance to be reborn? Woo-hoo!
~~~~~~~~
He tries to stand and starts to take a step. It is shaky but he continues.
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking 'cross the flooooor
You put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door
He starts to get a rhythm and walks much better.
~~~~~~~~
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking 'cross the floor
You put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door
In the end, his family wakes up and joins in the singing. Once I am certain he is good, I take my leave and continue my journey. Most of my deliveries afterwards went smoothly, even if most were for people on the naughty list. By the time I was done with my gift giving, it was 4 am, and I was mentally exhausted. That was the biggest downside of the spell. I lost the benefits I got from the system while it was active. It was a fair trade-off since otherwise it would be too broken to allow. There must be some balance. That and I wouldn't want to abuse this form anyway. It is meant to spread joy, not give me an advantage. That would be very grinchy if I did.
My last stop was returning to bed. I fell into my bed and nearly instantly fell asleep. On the second floor, where the Christmas Tree was at a new present appeared shortly after I fell asleep. It read:
To: Rio
From: Santa
Thanks for spreading some holiday cheer even when you didn't have to. I hope this present can make your life a little easier.
P.S. Don't tell anyone that I gave this to you. The others might get upset. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
Merry Christmas!