Happy 2011, coolest dudes! Hope this year is one of your best.

FINALLY, I've gotten around to finishing the next section of the reindeer story! Little shorter section than before, but hopefully will help with interest-building. I need to stop having such big gaps inbetween these things.


And elsewhere in the immortal world, those enemies were moving.



The forests of the Winter Court stood cold and silent. Like the forests they mirrored in the human world, they remained relatively lifeless. Neither human nor animal dared to venture into this wilderness...only the trees grew, stalwart against unending cold.

Still, something moved between the trees...a shadow darted across the white ground, from one clump of shrubs to the next, as if afraid to stay in the open too long. The shadow was searching for something, and everywhere it moved, the plants seemed to droop over with extra moisture.



At last, the shadow found the object of its search...a man, standing in the middle of a frozen pond. The man didn’t look exactly human...his skin was a pale blue color, his hair snow-white and scraggly, and icicles hung from his fur-lined coat. He wasn’t alone, either...blue and white elves fluttered around him, and twisted-root dendroids trailed around the edge of the pond. The man turned in the direction of the shadow, his face scrunched into a disgusted frown.

“What do you want?”



Out of the shadow rose another figure...a man, but not at all like the one in white. His chin was pointed and his hook nose crooked, with deep yellow eyes and fingers that stretched too long. He seemed to be stitched together from bits and pieces of sackcloth, burlap and perhaps human flesh. Around him rose his own companions...things with long necks and barbed tails, things that looked like broken toys or sleeping bags that had grown eyes. The figure grinned with rotting teeth. “I want to make a deal with you, Jack.”



Jack Frost sneered at the aberration before him. “I see no reason to make deals with you, fearmonger.”

The Boogeyman skirted around the edges of the pond, but didn’t stray from the nearby tangle of trees. He didn’t like to be in open places if he could help it. “Even if I could guarantee it would bet Santa Claus out of your hair forever?”

Jack Frost didn’t answer for a moment. The winter elves fluttered towards the safety of the opposite trees. “Eliminating Santa won’t fix the overall human problem.”



“Oh, but it will, you see,” the Boogeyman insisted, rubbing his hands together. Something wet dropped from his palms. “We work together, and in the process, the humans will be driven into so much fear they won’t dare impede on your nature again.”

The Boogeyman didn’t come any closer, but Jack still recoiled as if he’d approached. “And how do you intend to do that? Hide in their closets some more?”

“We steal Santa’s magic. All of it. Split it 50-50,” he replied.

This got Jack’s attention, and interest. The Boogeyman ran with this advantage. “Just imagine what you could do with even half of his magic! You could shut down all human production and expansion! Show the Summer Court that you still have influence! Have the forests and the ice push back!” The shadows twisted into the frozen pond. “Aren’t you tired of the humans ruining centuries of your hard work?”



“Yes,” Jack said, his voice steely. Anyone with eyes could see it...the ice retreating every winter, the trees falling to human expansion, the air warming with each passing day. The Winter Court was losing a battle against the humans, and had been since the Industrial Revolution.

“And aren’t you tired of Santa Claus encouraging all that pointless human consumption?”

“Yes,” Jack said, his blue hands balling into fists.

“Well.” The Boogeyman’s twisted smile pushed up his filthy cloth cheeks. “Why not take care of both these problems at the same time?”

Jack’s icy glare focused on the Boogeyman’s overlarge eyes. “Santa is well-guarded year round. Your attempts to reach him have failed in the past. How do you intend to now?”



“My sources tell me that things are different this year...” The Boogeyman petted a sleeping bag-like slug that curled up at his side, drooling through its teeth. “A new immortal has appeared. Man-made, of course. I believe it can be an asset.”

Jack was silent for a moment, thinking this information over. “There hasn’t been a new immortal made in centuries.”

“Oh, the humans can still do it, clever and lucky as they are.” The Boogeyman’s voice sounded like bone scraping against wood. “But all of their technology has...muddled things a bit, shall we say.”



The king of winter scoffed with distaste at the mention of such human ingenuity. Still, the Boogeyman could see that he was thinking about this. His deal was as good as made. “So you think a new immortal will make a difference. I still do not see how this pertains to me or my court.”

“Oh well that’s the best part. You just get to do what you’re best at! What you’ve wanted to do for ages.”

There was a moment of silence. “The Summer Court will surely interfere.”

“Let me worry about the Summer Court. You can worry about having your fun. And...” The Boogeyman added, his long fingers dancing. “...Think about all the wonderful things you could do with even half of Santa’s power.”



Jack Frost was considering the offer, and it was obvious. Icicles grew long on the nearby branches, frost danced in circles on the top of the pond, and the elves and dendroids all fell completely still. At last, Jack Frost nodded his shaggy head. “Very well. What is your proposal?”

The Boogeyman grinned ear-to-stitched-ear, showing off every one of his crooked teeth. “Come a little closer, Jack, and I’ll tell you.”


Hopefully the next part won't take so long to get down!

Drawing: This, still tons of LG, may be able to work on the Okami board...

Writing: Finished fic; just needs some beta-ing.