In the spirit of the holidays (and to keep with the trend), and to provide
yet another thing to keep people waiting for Destiny's Path (I swear I'll
get it done!!), here's a holiday fic to keep you warm and cuddly at night.
	
	Okay, it goes without saying that this is a WAFF fic.  This can be also
classified by the following: BFJ (Bad Fruitcake Jokes), ETD (Excessive Tree
Decorating), and Shojoai (in parts)...come on, you should know what that
means.

	Anything else...<shuffles papers> oh, yes, this fic has a dedication.  See
notes at end.

	That's it!  Roll it!

	Disclaimer: All series in this story are owned by somebody else, and
brought to America by someone else (a pox on DiC for the mess with the last
two episodes!).  I'm just a poor college graduate (yay!!!), and I'm just
doing this story for fun.  In the spirit of the holidays...don't sue me. 
Or *someone's* getting a truckful of coal this year.  <VEG>

***************************************
	Knight Productions present...

	A Destiny's Path
	Holiday story...

	Holiday Romances
***************************************

******Crystal Tokyo: Dec 24, 3018******

	<It's hard to believe,> Neo-Queen Serenity thought, looking over the city
of Crystal Tokyo from her room in the Crystal Palace, <that the first time
I saw this city covered in snow, it was because of the Dark Moon Family's
attack.  Now, after the attack, when it snows, it looks beautiful.>

	The snow gently covered the crystal streets and buildings of Crystal
Tokyo, giving the entire city a sparkling, rainbow-like quality that only
heightened the city's natural beauty.  Nowhere was this more prevalent than
the Crystal Palace itself, shimmering with the city lights reflecting off
its snow covered surfaces.  To add to the palace's beauty around Christmas,
red, green, and gold lights were strung from every available surface and
window, giving the effect of a giant crystal Christmas tree standing watch
over the city.  It was from one of the Palace's windows that Neo-Queen
Serenity looked over the city.  

	Sighing, Serenity turned away from the window and headed into the living
room of her quarters, where her husband and daughter were decorating the
family Christmas tree.  As Serenity bent down to help put the tinsel on the
tree, she remembered all the times that she had helped her family decorate
their tree back in the 20th century.  <Oh, Mom,> Serenity thought
wistfully, <you would be proud to see how we turned out.>  
	
	Serenity was shaken out of her mood by a clump of tinsel being waved in
her face.  "Mom?" Usagi asked.  "Are you all right?"  

	"Yes dear, I'm all right, I was just thinking about the past." Serenity
said, getting up and stringing the tree with tinsel.  

	"Yeah, I had fun in the past." Usagi said, hanging several bulbs on the
tree.

	"Even though you didn't exactly make a good first impression." Endymion
pointed out, putting roses in the tree.

	Usagi sweatdropped.  "Well, I...errr...I mean..."

	"What do you mean, dear?" Serenity asked, with a smile on her face.

	"Well...I didn't exactly have time for diplomacy...yeah, that's it!  No
time for diplomacy, I had the Four Sisters after me and I was in a hurry." 
Usagi crossed her arms and nodded.  Her parents laughed.

	"Mesume, you get ten points for brilliance." Endymion said.

	"And about five for style." Serenity finished.

	"Well...At least I get something!" Usagi declared, while holding her arm
straight up, finger held out.

	The finger jostled a bulb loose from the tree and hit Usagi on her head. 
"Ouch!  Kuso..." Usagi grumbled while rubbing her head.

	Serenity laughed.  "Reminds me of my family in the past," she said,
looking up at the tree.  "Shingo would find the boxes that we kept the
ornaments in, empty them out, and while I was downstairs taking my shoes
off, he would bomb me with those boxes." Serenity said wistfully.  "I don't
think Mom ever caught him doing it, no matter how many times I told her."
Serenity said, with a tear trickling down her cheek.

	"You miss them, don't you, Mom?" Usagi asked, with a smile as she
remembered her trips to the past.

	"More than I can bear sometimes." Serenity answered.  

In response, Endymion and Usagi hugged Serenity.  Serenity returned the
warmth of their hug with her own warmth and compassion.

	"Usako," Endymion whispered to his wife-the most powerful monarch on the
planet-"You have me, Usagi, Miyuki, the other Senshi, and countless others
who have stood beside us through all the years, both stormy and smooth. 
We've lived through three ages and brought the Earth back from the drink of
disaster again and again.  I guess you could say that that makes us...all
of us...a sort of extended family."

	"Yeah, Mom," Usagi said.  "Besides, I'm sure Ikuko-obasan, Kenji-ojiisan,
and Shingo-ojisan are watching over us now."  She smirked.  "Shingo,
knowing him, is probably trying to figure out how to water bomb you."

	Serenity laughed.  "Thank you, Usagi, Mamo-chan.  I needed that."  She
smiled.

	Endymion smiled.  "Then I know something else you need."  He pointed up
towards the ceiling, where a rose strung sprig of mistletoe hung.

	Serenity smiled at her husband.  "How did you know, Mamo-chan?" she asked
jokingly, while leaning up to kiss him.

The King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo, rulers of Earth and the Terran
Federation, kissed under the mistletoe, oblivious to the world for just one
moment.

	"Uhh...Mom?  Dad?  Come on, can't you do that while I'm not here?" Usagi
asked, seemingly forgotten in the moment.  "Ah, jeez..."

	A baby's wailing came through the open door.

	Seeing her parents still locked in a kiss, Usagi sighed, and headed to her
baby sister's room.  "Nice timing, Miyuki-chan." she muttered.

***Crystal Palace, apartment of Nagisa and Kawai Kai***

	       "So, when are Nami and Kiiro coming over?" Kawai asked, while
putting a string of lights on the tree.

	"Sometime tomorrow." Nagisa answered.  "Kiiro's concert tour ends tonight,
and Nami's waiting for her husband, who's bringing Kiiro's *current*
boyfriend."

	"Mouu...I swear, Kiiro goes through boyfriends like we went through baby
food when Natsumi was born!" Kawai said.  "So, who is it this time?"

	"I don't know, Kiiro just warned me not to mention the New Chicago Police
Department, or to make fun of his car." Nagisa answered.

	Kawai blinked.  "Say wha...?"

	"I don't know, and Kiiro said 'Don't ask'." Nagisa said.

	A brown haired pile of boxes stumbled through the door and plopped down at
the foot of the tree.

	"There!" Natsumi Kai said, wiping her brow, "That's the last of the
decorations, Mom."

	"Thanks, mesume." Nagisa said, picking ornaments out of the box and
putting them on the tree.  "I wasn't sure where we had put them after last
Christmas."

	"No problem." Natsumi said.  After a moment, she looked up from taking the
decorations out of the box.

	"Mom, Mama?  Just why do we celebrate Christmas again?"

	Both Nagisa and Kawai laughed.  "Every year, you ask that question,
Natsumi-chan." Nagisa said.  "Why?"

	"I dunno, tradition, I guess." Natsumi said, grinning brightly.

	Both Iczelions laughed.  "Well," Kawai said, "Originally, it was to
celebrate the birth of the Messiah."

	Natsumi blinked.  "Err...which one?"

	Nagisa chuckled.  "The original one, long ago in a town called Bethlehem."

	"Oh..." Natsumi said.

	"You can always ask the Palace Chaplain if you want to know more, dear."
Kawai said.

	"Err...no.  Mars has been in a bad mood recently." Nagisa said.  "Better
wait a few days, Natsumi."

	"Okay, Mom." Natsumi said.  "Hey, hear anything yet about who's being
selected for the Explorer Project?"

	"Uhh...no, Natsumi-chan." Kawai said, suddenly uneasy.  

	Nagisa noticed this.  "Natsumi?  I think I left the star in our room. 
Mind getting it?" she asked.

	"Sure, Mom." Natsumi said, and left the room.

	Nagisa got up and hugged Kawai, who was shaking slightly. 
"Shhh...Kawai-chan." Nagisa said. "We agreed that if she was picked, we
would support her."

	"I know, koibito," Kawai answered, near tears, "but it's still hard to
comprehend.  I mean, the Explorer ships are going to be out there for up to
*five years*.  I don't know if I can stand our daughter away for that
long."

	"I know...I know, anata..." Nagisa said as she held Kawai.

	Someone else's arms joined the hug.  "Don't worry so much, Mom, Mama."
Natsumi said." I'll be alright."

	Kawai smiled at Natsumi.  "I know, dear." she said.  "It's just going to
be hard to celebrate Christmas without you."

	"Oh, I think you and Mom could think of a few things." Natsumi said with a
sly smile.

	"Natsumi!" Nagisa said.

	"Oh why, oh why did we get such an ecchi daughter?" Kawai deadpanned.

	"Oh, I don't know.  Must have been my upbringing." Natsumi said, equally
deadpan.

	The three women laughed and continued to decorate their tree.

***Crystal Palace: Apartment of Erica and Julia Carter***

	"So, did Atsuko's gift arrive from Serenity Base?" Erica Carter asked her
wife.

	"Yeah, it did.  I wish Atsuko could come down for Christmas, but I guess
she wanted to spend time with her family on the Moon." Julia Carter said.

	"I know." Erica said.  "Hey, did that gift from Auska come yet?"

	Julia sweatdropped.  "Yeah, it did."

	"What's wrong?" Erica asked.

	"Apparently, she sent the same gift to everyone she knows."

	"So?"

	"Well...just warn Mako-chan never to let her near the kitchen if she says
she wants to make...well..."

	"Make...what?" Erica asked.

	In response, Julia reached into a box and pulled out a fruitcake, and
plopped it down on to the table.

	The table shook, and Erica could later swear that she felt the floor
quake.

	"Wha...how the *hell* did she get them down to Earth then?" Erica then
asked.

	"She convinced Serenity Base to launch them towards Earth via the mass
driver." Julia explained.

	Erica blinked.  "Yep, that's Auska's style alright."
	
	"Tell me about it." Julia said.  "So, what are we going to do with this."
She pointed at the hyper-massive, but still compact fruitcake.

	"Give it to Nicole." Erica said. "I think she still has a sorority prank
to pull on someone, and that fruitcake would be perfect."

	"Yeah, I think she told me about that once." Julia said, then giggled.

	"What?" Erica asked.

	"I remember when I did my share of sorority pranks." Julia said wistfully.

	"I know, I did my share of pranks as well." Erica said. "As I recall, I
met you as a result of one of those pranks."

	"Of course," Julia said, "it would have helped later matters if you had
been *sober* at the time."

	"Hey, it wasn't *my* fault that Natalie spiked the punch a little too
much!" Erica said. "You know, I *still* can't remember what happened that
night."

	"I *think* I remember I had honey dripping on me." Julia said, then
shuddered. "Heh, my sorority *really* lived up to its name, alright."

	Erica smiled and draped her arms around the other woman, drawing her into
a warm hug. "I'm glad we managed to get it right the second time around,
though."

	Julia leaned into the hug. "I know.  And I'm glad we had the chance to get
it right this time."  She looked up into Erica's violet eyes. "I love you."

	Erica looked down into Julia's brown eyes. "And I love you too, 'til the
end of time itself."

	"Hmm...that's what Serenity said at the wedding." Julia said, and smiled.

	The two women came closer and kissed.

	The apartment door slammed.  "Mom?  Mama?  I'm home!" a blonde haired,
green-eyed woman said as she came into the room.

	"Hi, Nicole." Erica said. "Did you say you needed a fruitcake for
something?"

	"Yeah," Nicole Carter said. "why, did one come in?"

	Julia pointed to the extra-massive body on the table. "Right there, dear."

	"Oh, good!" Nicole said with a smirk. "We've been looking for a way to get
even with those girls from Zeta Alpha Epsilon for the painted underwear
gag.  A fruitcake through the window would do nicely."  She reached out to
touch the fruitcake...

	And the table gave away, leaving the fruitcake to follow the laws of
gravity and fall onto...and through...the floor.

	"OUCH!!! Kuso!  What the heck?"

	The Carter family looked through the hole...to see Usagi rubbing her head,
Hotaru carrying baby Miyuki, and a hole in the floor underneath the hole in
the ceiling. 

	"Ah...heh...sorry, Usagi-chan." Nicole said at the sight of the Princess
glaring at her.  Erica, Julia, and Nicole sweatdropped.

	"Erica?" Julia asked.

	"Yes, koibito?" Erica said.

	"Don't we still have to decorate the tree?" Julia said, with a nod.

	"Ah yes, I believe we do." Erica said. "Come on Nicole!"  

	The three Carters ran from the hole to finish decorating their tree.

***Crystal Palace: Apartment of Shinji and <daisydaisyDATACORRUPTED>
Ikari***

	"So Yui's coming in?"

	"Yes, her ship landed a little bit ago, she's just making sure her
Neo-Eva's safely secured." Shinji replied to his wife.

"That's good." she replied. "So she'll be able to make it to the Queen's
Christmas Day Ball after all?"

	"That's what she said on the commlink last night as her ship came into Sol
System." Shinji said, while hanging an angel on the tree. <Hard to believe
there was a time I was fighting Angels.> he thought.

	A pair of arms hugged him from behind. "Remembering the past, dear?" his
wife asked.

	"Yeah, we went through some hard times back then." Shinji said.

	"Would you change any of it if given the chance?"

	Shinji thought for a second. "No, because what happened back then made me
what I am today, and besides..." he turned around and hugged his wife,
laying down on the floor, "...if I changed the past, I wouldn't have met
you."

	"I'm glad to hear that.  Now...how about a kiss, you old baka?"

	"Old?  Last I remember, you're slightly older than me!" Shinji proclaimed.

	"Excuses, excuses."  

	Shinji smiled and kissed his wife.

	A door slammed.

	"Mom?  Dad?  I'm home!!" A brown haired woman said as she walked into the
apartment.  Spotting her parents on the floor, she sweatdropped.  "Geez,
did I interrupt something here?" she asked.

	Shinji got up. "Hardy har, Yui-chan."  He then went over and hugged his
daughter. "Welcome back, dear."

	Shinji's wife got up and hugged Yui as well. "We've missed you, dear."

	"I know, I've missed you as well, mama, papa!" Yui said, smiling.
"So...what happened while I was gone?"

	"Help us decorate, and we'll tell you."

	"Alright!" Yui cheered.

	A fruitcake crashed through the ceiling, and down through the floor.

	All three Ikari's sweatdropped.

	"Aunt Auska's fruitcake?" Yui asked.

	Her parents nodded.

***************************************
'Twas the night before Christmas,
	And all through the Palace,
	Not a creature was stirring
	(Well...except a dozen hyper-massive fruitcakes falling)
	Not even a mouse.
	(Thanks to three Moon Cats)
***************************************

	The Crystal Palace, decorated for the holidays in festive green, red, and
gold, overlooked the great city of Crystal Tokyo.  For just a moment, if
you looked at the Palace (and ignored the sound of fruitcakes crashing
through the Palace) at the moment of Christmas Eve, you would see one star
shining brightly over the Palace, perhaps watching over its occupants.

***Heaven: "L's" Bar and Grill***

	"So you think their brother is cute?"

	"Yeah...but I really don't want to get involved in that love triangle he
got mixed up in."

	"You have a point there.  Still, it's good to dream, isn't it, Aerith?" 

	"You said it, Peorth."

	The two goddesses prepared to go into the bar for a few drinks.  

	Someone held the door open for them.  "After you, ladies."

	"Thank you." Peorth said, then got a look at the person's face.  She
blinked. "You...you're...him?  Aren't you?" she stammered.

	Aerith blinked.

	"Maybe, maybe not." the stranger replied, and then disappeared.

	Aerith said, "Huh?"

	Peorth blinked, then shook her head.  "Come on, Aerith.  I need a good,
stiff drink now."

	Aerith shrugged and followed Peorth into the bar.

***************************************

	"The snow is falling tonight"
	"The lights are burning so bright"
	"I don't remember feeling this way before"
	"Friends and family, I couldn't ask for more"
	"When I see through children's eyes"
	"Life is a surprise"

	"When you believe"
	"Miracles come true"
	"When all your hopes and dreams"
	"Have been waiting here for you"

	"When you believe"
	"Anything is possible"
	"Your heart becomes so full"
	"Of all the joy that Christmas time can bring"

	"When you believe the gifts"
	"Are under the tree"
	"I hear the carolers on the street"
	"Singing joy to the world"
	"Goodwill to all men"
	"Peace on Earth"
	"Love is born again"
	"When you see through children's eyes"
	"Life is a surprise"

	"When you believe"
	"Miracles come true"
	"When all your hopes and dreams"
	"Have been waiting there for you"

 	"When you believe"
	"Anything is possible"
	"Your heart becomes so full"
	"Of all the joy that Christmas time can bring"

	"When you believe in fairy tales"
	"Mistletoe and wishing wells"
	"You can have all your heart's desires"
	"When you believe"

	"When you believe"
	"Miracles come true"
	"When all your hopes and dreams"
	"Have been waiting there for you"

 	"When you believe"
	"Anything is possible"
	"Your heart becomes so full"
	"Of all the joy that Christmas time can bring"

	"When you believe"

	"When You Believe" by Shanice and Crystal Wilson, off of the album "Mother
And Child: A Christmas Celebration Of Motherhood."

***************************************
End of Holiday Romances
***************************************

Author's Notes:

	Oh, where to begin, where to begin?

	Segment 1: It's nice to remember Christmases past, isn't it?  Any Usagi
(Chibi-Usa) fans out there, please don't flame me too much for what
happened to her.  Miyuki was put in as a result of Douglas Helm and Wil
Wolfshohl's <ahem> "ending" to Tales of Younger Earth. <Gives the "Dagger
Glare" to the two authors>  That's all I gonna say, or to borrow the line
from one of Flashman's favorites: "And that's the bottom line..."  <Pause>
I *think* that's what the line was.
	
	Segment 2: With all the talk about Sailor Moon being the Messiah in Sailor
Moon S, I had to put that line in asking why Christmas is celebrated, for
the birth of *which* Messiah?  <Waves hello to John Biles>
	The Explorer Project mention is a preview look at a series I plan to set
way after the events in Destiny's Path, called Voyage Of The Odyssey. 
Think of it as my Star Trek of the Destiny's Path Universe.  No Klingons
though, I promise.

	Segment 3: Might as well have called this one the "Fruitcake" segment. 
Another reason why Auska should never be allowed near a kitchen. <Ducks as
Auska fans throw Moltov cocktails at him>  Also, we see that the
relationship between Erica and Julia is a little more complicated than
originally thought. <EG>

	Segment 4: Oh, please, don't think I was going to let *that* little cat
out of the bag yet!  I do know who Shinji's wife is, but that information
is triply encrypted and safe from spoiler hunters.  Everything else is open
to the public, though.

	Segment 5: Yes, that is who you think it is.  I'm sorry.  I just had to do
it.  <Pulls out nuke suit and puts it on>  Thanks to Chris Angel (OMB!9)
for the idea.

	Guess that's it.  Oh...the dedication.

	This story is dedicated to Erin.  Ai shiteru, Erin.

	That's it, good night, and happy holidays, everyone!

Brian Yaple
Knight Productions
BYapes@erie.net
webpage: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8768
MoonieCode (1.12.05)
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P:a23:s :w :f :eBr:hBr :*Li:y--:r+|++++++
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Mekton Zeta-Babylon 5-Macross-Grapejam-The Spot-BGCrisis-
Evangelion-Utena-Iczer-Iczelion-Buffy-Slayers-Ranma 1/2-Sailor Moon-Tenchi
Muyo!
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"No box is big enough to contain our imaginations."
Tara Hartwick (RIP)- The Spot (www.thespot.com)- June 6th, 1995

"Tuski ni kawatte, oshioki yo!" - Sailor Moon

"Chinmoku no hoshi Dosei o shugo ni motsu.  Hametsu to tanjou no senshi,
Sailorsaturn!!"

"Call me Iczelion!" - Nagisa Kai - Iczelion