#brightwindsbarony

And santa is gone

The Jeep is white and.. something odd about it's surface

And Caesar pops up "Ho ho ho" Sounding like himself

"Caesar! You had me fooled!"

"This is too much..."

"I wasn't working alone. I asked for Hope's help. Figured she'd get a kick out of fooling you like she fooled me" A grin, then "The surface of the car is.. well, you'll find the airbrushing material so you can paint it and then put the protective coating IN the jeep. Also... turns out you did pay for part of it. Hope said you would insist.. but by matching you, I would probably push yourself into treating yourself"

"AND... before you protest that you're robbing your own treasury... you know know I got the price cut down to a lot even before anything started. Nothing like a little fame to get a discount. 'Caesar shopped here' works wonders"

"Oh, Hope.... it... boggans!"

"Yes, they're terrible" A grin "THat little civic fought hard for you, but let's face it, it's begging for retirement. Now the idea of leaving the car ready to paint? THat was mine"

"I've never painted a car..."

"Well, if no other ideas come to you, have the kids dip their palms into the paint and tell em to go nuts" He says\

"Oh, I have an idea!" Fluffy feathers.

He grins at that, then frowns "I hate to ruin your good mood, but this isn't why I hoped you'd talk to me"

Instantly back to ground. "What's up?"

"It's about Catir... I hate to break a santa confidentality thing but.." An exhale, "Got her a great little gift, New sword with a falcon design. And... she..asked me if she could trade it in for something"

Eyebrow.

"She said she'd like to be your 'favorite childling' again, and asked if there was a quest I could give her so she would be" He says "is..something going on?"

"That... oh. I have been focused a lot on the new ones - Harkson had let them fade and forget, and they're a traumatized bunch."

"I will need to spend some special time with Caitir, too."

"Look, My kids are way too young for me to be an authority, but maybe you should tell her that the reason you are focusing on the other kids is because you KNOW She's so dependible and such a big help? You think that would help her see it as approval and trust rather than that she's not your favorite anymore?"

"Maybe. And... I mean, her and Grey are like family..."

"And whatever she was out there, she's a childling now." Amused "Cute little tyrant though"

"Oh yes. Very much a Gwydion."

"I'm lucky she didn't catch me in the santa ruse. though arguably I was thinking I was Santa...It's a role in a lot of ways. And hopefully the real santa didn't mind. Anyway, I thought you needed to know. She is keeping the sword because santa told her to."

"And Santa also told her that she was loved and to trust in that." A shrug "Did I handle that right?"

"I can't be sure, but I think you did."

"All yours then. I have to head home. April and the kids.. you know? Sorry to Ho HO and run... fun as it was."

She gives him a hug. "Thank you, seriously."

The big man gives her a hug, then says "You're welcome, just as seriously. I love kids. You know that"

"Yup! And you gave them something special tonight."

"And you've got a good batch. Thanks for telling me all about htem or I'd never have gotten the right gifts. Well, hope helped. but knowing all their names made me seem magic"

He taps a horn "Oh wait, I AM magic. "

Snort.

A grin "I'll bring April sometime. SHe'd love to learn about the plant life in this biome and stuff"

"I still have a lot to learn - but there's a nature center, too..."

"There is? Definitely got to visit" He gives another hug, then says "Later. Flight to catch and my own car to drive"

"Safe and easy travels, Caesar."

And he gets into his rental car and drives off calling "Ho Ho HO!"

When Sparrow goes back inside, she finds the locals talking with Hope...

"You said she was different,and you weren't lying"

Sparrow tries to hang back, unobtrusive (and curious)

The boggans, as usual, are the talkers

"I admit, these blue giants seem better than the others."

"Half of them don't even seem sworn to her"

"That's a GOOD thing I think. Shows they're here to help us all" One older man chats "And did you see how she shows Mary Ellen it's okay to still enjoy Santa?"

Well, if you want to know the temperature of a hold, it's always the boggans...

"You always were a soft touch when it came to your grand daughter , Jeb."

"Sue me"

"Well, Hope's had more sense than most."

"Sure hope this isn't something where we fall for the carrot just because it's not a stick"