She feels lightm, refreshed, as if thew eight of the world had risen off her shoulders and dissipated into the thin atmosphere. Despite the bitter cold left in the wake of Kyurem (a constant reminder of the dragon’s breach into their world), she feels happy. Maybe it was just the sparkle of the holiday cheers starting to spread across the region. They were are alive, that was certainly something to celebrate. Or maybe it was just him.

“Hmmm,” Eva peeled her gloves off to set on the stand by the door. Next, she kicked off her boots while she scanned the living room for the ideal spot for their Christmas tree, “Yeeaaah definitely away from that,” though Mr. Mime could always erect a barrier to block the flames, but then they would lose the heat.

“How about over there?’ she points across the room towards the large bay windows overlooking the uncharacteristically frozen lake – Kyurem had really done a number on Hoenn’s climate. Eva skipped over to started shuffling some boxes of holiday decorations out of the way to make room for Matias to set down the tree. Eva is quick to catch a pokeball ornament before it falls to the ground.

---

MATIAS SILPH

only remembering after she does, he takes a few steps backwards, careful not to bump into anything with the christmas tree on his shoulder, and kicks his boots off.[break][break]

as instructed, he walks over to the large bay windows and slowly sets the tree down, bending at the knees to not further injure his healing back. the wounds of littleroot still linger even if they do not show underneath his jumper.[break][break]

"perfect spot with an equally perfect view."[break][break]

he sighs, content as he peers out the window at the frozen lake. if he tries, he can pretend that the lake's just naturally frozen over, and that makes it a bit better.[break][break]

"huh. you were right about the tree."[break][break]

eva had opted for the smarter choice while matias wanted a far larger tree that would've likely poked a hole in the ceiling.

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

Of course she was right! The tree was the perfect height for their home. There was even room up top for a megastone star to shine brightly above twinkling lights and an array of ornaments. They could use one of her old megastones, it's not like she needed them for mega evolution anymore.

“I figured you’d be better at that,” she teased, stepping closer to the tree with a pensive look, “Being closer to the ceiling, you know?” From his height he should be a pretty good judge of that.

Eva reaches towards the tree to fluff some of the branches out that were bent from Matias’s manhandling of it, “I can’t remember, did we even have a tree last year?” between everything that’s happened, a year seemed like a decade ago. Eva continues to fiddle with branches, the perfectionist in her making an appearance.

---

MATIAS SILPH

"yes, you're right. i am a freak of nature."[break][break]

though he jokes, there is an argument to be made about the both of them now. he's sure there are some people out there who think avatars to be unnatural and wrong. they'd be right about the former, and half-right about the latter.[break][break]

"i think we did? i can't really remember."[break][break]

he lacks the perfectionist trait so he doesn't bother fiddling with the branches. the tree looks fine as is to him.[break][break]

"but look at us. we've survived another year in hoenn."[break][break]

how should they celebrate? maybe with fruitcake?

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

Eva giggles lightly, “Yeah, but you’re my freak of nature and I love ya for it,” she takes a little break to grin up at him before returning to her meticulous fluffing of the tree.

Eva frowns when Matias admits he doesn’t remember either. It makes her feel better that she isn’t the only one. It really had been a long year for the both of them – and Hoenn in general.

“We’ll be sure to take a picture this year so we don’t forget,” she steps back a few paces to admire the tree from a distance, nodding in satisfaction. Their ‘victory’ certainly warranted celebration but Eva still felt partially responsible for weakening the barrier between their worlds that allowed Kyurem to peak through.

Next, she moves towards the boxes she pulled aside to make room for the tree. One is filled with lights, the other carefully wrapped ornaments, “Important question,” in one hand she holds up a snowboarding Primape ornament and in the other the string of lights, “Are you a lights-first kinda guy, or ornaments first?”

---

MATIAS SILPH

"good question."[break][break]

it's only then that matias realizes just how little he's celebrated christmas. the silph household occasionally did; the servants would put up the tree and decorate it on their behalf. and there were rarely celebrations when he was in the military.[break][break]

huh. is this his first real christmas? he wonders as he holds up a lapras ornament.[break][break]

"lights-first makes a bit more sense, right?"

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

They always celebrated Christmas in the Morales household. A big, beautiful tree, decorations, presents galore! It was her mother’s favorite holiday so their celebration was very much a tribute to her. However, since she left for the war, she hadn’t celebrated it much. This year felt different. They were celebrating a small victory amongst the many threats that cloud Hoenn.

Eva has her own answer, but she is curious to see what Matias’s is. After what appeared to be an internal debate, he selects the correct order, “Yeah! Always lights first!” she smiles, gently setting the Primape ornament down beside the Lapras one.

“Alright, let’s start at the top!” she steps closer to hand Matias the end of a string of lights. That’s his job (obviously) since he’s the taller one and Eva can’t reach up there.

---

MATIAS SILPH

the lapras ornament is set down alongside the primeape and delibird. they're about to have a whole collection of pokemon hanging on their christmas tree.[break][break]

"you sure you don't want to do this?"[break][break]

he can't help but tease her but he does as instructed and quickly swings the string of lights up around the top, circling it around the tree before moving down.[break][break]

"are these the lights that change color and dance? i've always wanted one like that."

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

A Delibird ornament?! Where’d that come from? Guess Eva did go a little overboard with the Pokémon ornaments for the holidays . . . But they are so cute.

When she can reach, Eva helps Matias strong the lights around the tree, squeezing behind it to get all the way around, ”Hm, I’m not sure,” she admits, trying to remember what kind she bought. She pokes back out from around the tree to help with another spin, ”Guess we’ll just have to plug them in and find out!”

---

MATIAS SILPH

in her defense, the ornaments are adorable, though he hasn't seen one for charizard yet! he wonders if it's hidden beneath the others somewhere. he hopes it is.[break][break]

with the lights now set up, he offers her the end of it.[break][break]

"that's all you, babe. i can't reach down that low."

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

Eva would never forget a Charizard ornament for their tree! Ash is important to them both so Eva wouldn’t dare leave them off the tree! Ash’s ornament can go right beside Blade’s.

“Alright!” Eva rubs her hands together. She’s surprisingly excited to have some sort of normalcy in their life, “Here we go!” and with that, she plugs in the tree.

The hibernating light awaken in a flash, blue, red, orange, and green bulbs glitter around the evergreen branches. She shuffles out from behind the tree to step back beside Matias. She slowly nods in approval. They aren’t dancing lights but they are colorful, “Well, can’t win ‘em all I guess . . . next year they can be dancing lights.”

---

MATIAS SILPH

the tree lights up the room in glowing shades of blue, red, orange, and green, and matias can't help but peer up in slight awe at how cozy it makes their home look. it's what he's always wanted since he was a kid but never realized until now.[break][break]

normalcy.[break][break]

"it's settled, then! we'll have dancing lights for next christmas."[break][break]

with a smile still fixed on his face, he turns to kiss her on her cheek, then peers back up at the tree.[break][break]

"huh. i never thought a tree would make me this happy."[break][break]

as happy as rudolph the reindeer, perhaps.

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

It really is a peaceful sight. A warmth spreads in her chest, unable to let the smile spread across her pink lips fade. It only grows wider when he dips in for a kiss. It surprises her, drawing out a little giggle. She turns slightly to glance up at him, grinning.

“The tree, huh?” it’s a gentle tease, but she gets what he means. Eva moves over towards the ornament boxes to draw out the first ornament. It’s a rather gaudy, cheesy one of Santa’s sleigh being pulled by flying Stantler. There’s Dasher, Dancer, Prancer . . . the whole gang, “Well then, go ahead,” she offers Matias the honor of placing the first ornament on their tree.

---

MATIAS SILPH