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It had been a busy evening at the Christmas Market at the Eiffel Tower, and none were busier than Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Pere Noel himself. Well, the man hired to portray him for the kids. Listen to some requests, say something reassuring, deliver a warning to stay on the Nice List, pose for a photo. It paid well, even if he got thrown up on or peed on occasionally. And he loved the kids.
But this was Paris, and that meant that some kid was bound to get himself Akumatized three days before Christmas Eve.
The photographer had come over to help pose the kids (what was it with this guy and spaghetti? Always with the spaghetti!), so he wasn't hit when the exploding present took out his camera. Screaming, people running everywhere, Santa had grabbed the kids and gone to hide behind some of the girders of the Eiffel Tower. Who knows where spaghetti guy went.
hic! sob! "Please, Santa, I want my mama and papa!"
He looked down at the kids, "Yes, I know. As soon as Ladybug and Chat Noir take care of the akuma, we can find them. But right now, Santa needs to keep you both safe! Now, shhhh!"
The masked duo had arrived very quickly (were they already here, he wondered?) and had been busily dodging exploding gifts and trying to get the akuma's focus (or whatever they called it) away from him. Except they couldn't figure it out, and Chat had gone flying from a particularly close call.
"I JUST WANNA SEE SANTA CLAUS!"
Oh.
Oh great.
Some kid got told he couldn't get in line to see Santa, and now this. He had been offered a position down in Saint Cloud, Hawkmoth almost never got out to the Suburbs, why didn't he take it?
"Please, Santa! You have to help them! You're magical, too!"
The boy and girl were tugging on his sleeve and giving him pleading puppy dog eyes. Now, normally a man in his job built up immunity to such, but this was not a normal time. But who was he to get mixed up in a battle between superheroes (just kids themselves! a part of him objected) and a supervillain (he's a kid too!)
And a little voice in the back of his mind said, "You're Santa Claus, that's who! You know you aren't really, but the kids believe. You put on the suit, you accept what comes with that. Now get out there and do something!"
"LUCKY CHARM! ACK!" He looked up to see Ladybug dodging out of the way as a big, plush, red overstuffed chair with black polka dots dropped to the ground. "What am I supposed to do with that?!" Chat was too busy trying to shield her from gift-bombs to offer suggestions.
Santa Claus stood up from where he had been hiding. "Children, stay here. Everything will be alright." It has to be, he didn't say aloud. Because I am Santa Claus, and my promises are sacred. Boldly, he strode out toward the chair. "Thank you, Ladybug! I can take it from here!" Putting his hands on his hips, he looked up toward the tower where the akuma (good grief whoever designs these has no fashion sense!) was standing. "You there! Young man! If you want to see me, come down here right now! I should like to speak with you!"
The heroes looked gobsmacked. The akuma...paused. The children peered around the girders, wide-eyed.
He figured even odds that Christmas would be ruined because the world saw Santa Claus get splattered by an exploding present on live TV.
The outline of a purple butterfly appeared on the boy's face. Santa snapped his fingers, "Here now, none of that! That's Hawkmoth! He makes lots of promises to people, but he's a Grinch! He never once has really kept a promise to a child. I. Am. Santa Claus. You going to listen to him, or you going to listen to me?"
The akumatized boy climbed down and came over. Santa breathed a sigh of relief, and subtly gestured for the heroes to stand back a little. He sat down in the chair, patted his lap, and said, "Now, I understand you wanted to see me. This is not normally how we go about that, but I am willing to make an exception this once. So, I don't recognize you with all that on. Can you tell me your name?"
The supervillain (no! Just a little boy!) climbed into his lap, and said, "My name is Naughty List."
Affecting surprise, he said, "Now, I don't know about that. I am the one that keeps the Naughty List. Why would you be called such a thing?"
"Because I said I wanted to come over and see you and my sitter said I had been bad and I was on the naughty list. Then she got me a candy cane, except it wasn't peppermint, it was cinnamon, and she knows I hate cinnamon!"
Santa hrmed gravely. "I believe I need to have a word with your sitter when this is done! But wait, you said a cinnamon candy cane...is it that one in your pocket, there? Well, I will trade you for a peppermint one. I always have those on hand!" The Hawkmoth mask appeared again, and Santa smiled in triumph. Ah-hah! That was the focus, then! The child apparently ignored the villain's words and happily traded the cinnamon candy cane for a peppermint one from his own pockets. "Now, why don't you tell Santa what you would like for Christmas!" As he listened, he let his other hand slide down and drop the possessed candy cane behind the big chair. Light padding of booted feet behind him, a whispered, "I have it!" from Chat Noir, and he watched out of the corner of his eye as it was broken and Ladybug caught the Akuma across the plaza.
Finally, the boy seemed satisfied, and slid down from his lap.
"Ah, Santa? I...sort of need the chair?" Ladybug had been waiting patiently for...goodness, how long had they been talking?
"Yes, of course, Ladybug!" He stood, "Must say, more comfortable than the one I was given by the market." The chair was flung into the air (with a little help from Chat Noir) to the cry of "Miraculous Ladybug!" and the whirlwind of ladybugs returned everything--and everyone--to their former state. Naughty List turned into a very confused little boy, who looked down at the candy cane he was holding with some suspicion.
"Hey there, sport! What's your name?" Chat squatted down to be on the kid's level.
"Pierre...."
Santa put a hand on Pierre's shoulder, "I think I should spend a little time with Pierre...and then that police officer can help me find his parents. Whoever was taking care of him seems to have run off, and if what I was told is true, well...I think Santa should have a word with them. And I have a couple others I need to collect as well."
"Thank you, Santa. It's good to know we aren't the only heroes in this town." With a smile and wink, Ladybug swung off, and Chat Noir gave an elegant bow before vaulting away after her.
"Oh, this is a-perfect! Smile for the camera, both of you! Smile like you just got served Mama's Spaghetti!"
Oh.
Him again.
Well, Santa could smile through anything.