MM22 Day 3: Buster and the Bakers

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“And then, they made me a giant chocolate chip cookie with extra chocolate chips, sprinkles, honey and an entire bottle of Grade A maple syrup!” Winky was breathless with excitement. Her house was finally in order thanks to Pixie and Figgy’s hard work.

“That’s great, Winky!” said Figgy.

“We are so happy we could help!” said Pixie.

With a high five, Winky soared back into the night. Pixie and Figgy watched her sparkly trail loop through the sky with satisfied smiles.

Pixie turned at the sound of shuffling feet behind her. “Oh, hi there, Buster, Glitter. Are you ready to go?”

A tall, thin and rather bedraggled elf leaned heavily on Glitter. His exhausted face wore an uneasy expression.

Pixie and Figgy looked at Glitter, a question in their eyes.

“Buster is tired,” said Glitter, staggering a bit under the dead weight. “He’s been through a lot with his family.”

“What have they done to you, Buster?” asked Pixie, her eyes wide and sympathetic.

Figgy nodded, unable to speak at the site of this exhausted elf. They needed to hear what they were walking into. The file didn’t say much. In fact, it was empty save for a few illegible scribbles and what looked like dried on drool.

Quietly, barely above a whisper, Buster began his tale.

“For a few days last season, things were going very well. The three boys seemed to enjoy my tricks and gifts. They looked forward to them every day. But then, I guess they got—yawn—bored. Or something.”

For a moment, it appeared as though Buster had fallen asleep. Glitter stomped a hoof, waking him out of his slumber.

“Oh, yes. Where was I?” Buster asked, confused.

Figgy glanced at Pixie who shook her head in befuddlement.

“What happened next?” asked Figgy.

“Well, they started behaving very badly to their parents. Small things at first. A glass of spilled milk here. A messy room there. You know, kid stuff. But then…”.

“Yes?” asked Pixie.

“Then—yawn—they started to…escalate their bad behavior.” Buster looked at them meaningfully. They looked at him in confusion.

“You know, doing really bad things.”

“Like what?” whispered Figgy.

“First, they stuffed a bunch of animals in the dryer.”

“WHAT?!” Figgy and Pixie exclaimed at once.

“Yes, I know,” Buster nodded. “The lint trap was such a mess.”

Figgy and Pixie stared open-mouthed at Buster. How could he be so calm about this?

Glitter cleared her throat. “Buster, you left out an important point. The animals were stuffed animals. Toys, not actual pets.”

Pixie and Figgy sagged against each other, relieved.

“Oh, yes. Sorry. I should have led with that.”

“Yes, you should have,” said Pixie, shaking her head.

“What else, Buster?” asked Figgy.

“This season, they’ve started to pick me up and play with me,” said Buster. “I know it’s early in the season, but it took me all year to recover from their treatment, and three days of this has really taken its toll. I’m exhausted.”

Pixie and Figgy could tell that by his slumped posture, baggy eyes and glazed expression. He couldn’t take much more of this and they knew it.

“Ok, Buster.” Pixie stood. “I have a plan.”

Hauling Buster on her back, Glitter followed Pixie and Figgy through the sky and landed on the Baker’s lawn. Buster tumbled to the snowy ground and promptly started to snore.

“Well,” said Figgy. “I guess he won’t be much help tonight. What’s the plan, Pixie?”

“Let’s get him inside first. Then I’ll fill you in.”

“Flibberty gibbit? Hessle-torp fish-fash,” Buster mumbled as Glitter once again hauled him through the air.

Once the elves and Glitter had settled Buster on the couch, Pixie pulled “The Tin” out.

“Oh,” said Figgy. “The Emergency Googly Eyes. Are you sure this is wise? Once we googly, there’s no going back.”

Glitter huffed and looked at the sky. “If we are going to do this, we should get a move on. I need to get back to Mrs. C.”

“Glitter,” said Figgy suspiciously. “What are you and Mrs. C. up to?”

Buster sat up suddenly and shouted. “Froshty mer moman!”

“Never mind that,” said Pixie. “Let’s get all the eyes in place.”

Whirling around the room, Pixie, Figgy and Glitter put googly eyes on anything with a face. Pictures, stuffed animals, bananas, oranges, the microwave, and finally, themselves.

“And, we’ll wear these as well as a finishing touch.” Pixie pasted angry eyebrows on Figgy and Buster. “There! Places everyone!”

Oh you’d better watch out
You’d better not cry
You’d better not step a toe out of line
Angry elves are coming to you

We’ll watch you when you’re sleeping
We’ll stare at you for days
We’ll pop up where you least expect
So mend your naughty ways

So listen up now
Your chances are few
Touch Buster again and he will be through
Angry elves are coming to you