"Hey, stop the lovey dovey over there! This is serious business!" Eternia's voice was stern but her eyes sparkled with glee.
"I still think this is embarrassing! Now everyone will see how greedy we are!" hissed Nareen helplessly.
She was interrupted by a big white cloud in the middle of the group. Stars flew as Libra swung her wand like a whip. When the fog lifted a big pile of presents had appeared on the wooden box.
"Oh my, look at all those pretty parcels!" Giselda said in awe.

"Wow!" Eternia was in heaven. She kneeled down in the snow and barely noticed how Tamara approached her. "There just was a rain of pillows and other gifts in the livingroom. So this is not all." Her toneless voice revealed that she had been hit by at least some objects. "We'll have a lot to tidy up today before I can drop on the bench again."
Eternia looked up. "You're sleeping here again?"
"Since you'll certainly need help with all this stuff I figured that's best, isn't it?"
"Of course you're our guest!" Nareen nodded. "Actually, I feel bad because you don't get any gifts. You were such a big help!"
"Don't worry. I know no mercy when I want to borrow something from Eternia."

With a gesture Libra let Giselda come close. "Here are your gifts," she said and waved her wand once more.
"Aaaw!" squeeked the little cook. "All the things I wanted! A candle and toys for Akshi! Thank you so much!"

"Here's the calendar for all the birthdays too. I know it was actually you who wanted it."
"Tee hee, thank you!" Giselda took it with glee. "I can't write, so I hope Nareen will help me with it."
"You're welcome."
"Libra, do you always live in this garden?"
"Huh?" The faerie was surprised. "Actually yes, I do. Why do you ask?"
"I know now all the kitchen things were also from you. Tamara explained to me. So I want to cook for you from time to time too!"
"Uh... thanks." Libra blushed. "But you know the gifts are actually from your boss?"
"But you delivered them with all your love!"
"Err..."

"How sweet!" Eternia giggled and crowed. "Look at all those cute plush dolls! There's even more than I asked for!"

"You'll need a bigger house for all of these..." Tamara stated flatly while collecting all the plushies. "I'll take them inside before they get wet. Back in a second."

Eternia barely noticed her. "Whoa! The laptop! A videogame! A toaster! Beauty products! Huh... who ordered wool?"
Nareen cleared her throat. "Uhm... me. Knitting is my favourite hobby."
"Wow, I didn't know! Nareen, we could open a shop together! You knit, I sell!"
"I'm not so sure about that, Eternia..."

"Why not? I mean... If the boss was serious about us being independant I'll need a new job!"
"Let's talk about that another time." Nareen grabbed one of the parcels to change topic before Eternia could start a craze about this nonsense idea.
"Hey, there's pictures inside. These will look good on our fireplace! Just... who are these people? Relatives of you, Eternia?"
The woman looked at the pictures shortly. "Naw, never seen them. I just asked for some nice photos, so it's okay."

"Uhm..." Nareen hesitated, then held up one of the photos.
Eternia squealed joyfully.
The necromancer raised an eyebrow. "If those are random photos... how come there is one of Wati?"
"Ho ho ho, just what I wanted!"
"I repeat - where did you get a photo of Wati?"

"Indeed, where did she get a photo of you, Wati?" Nahh-Ato's voice was cold as ice as she folded her arms miffedly.
Wati flailed helplessly. "My Lady, she didn't get that photo from me! You have to believe me, I have no idea where she got that from!"

Dolltopia Archive 57 <-- # --> Dolltopia Archive 59