This reporter has just finished interviewing Santa Claus himself about a terrible oversight in the Mischief Maker Program and what will be done to remedy the situation.
“Mrs. Claus recently discovered that there is only one elf assigned to most of the Children’s Hospitals. And that there are some who are not on the Mischief Maker Call List at all. As such, we will be sending the best and brightest strike teams to make amends.”
And who is this “Special Strike Team”? None other than Nim, Lil, Pixie, Figgy, and Glitter the Reindeer! What will they do? How will they remedy this terrible neglect? Whatever it is, this reporter will be on the case…every step of the way!
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
All Mischief Makers and members of the B.R.A.T.T. Squad gathered at Santa’s toyshop late on Christmas eve after all the presents were delivered. Bottles of Patti’s Peppermint Pop and Santa’s Secret Sauce were passed around the room and snacks galore weighed down the toy tables.
“The end of another spirited and successful season!” shouted Santa above the crowd. “Tomorrow, we start work on planning next season. But, tonight, we celebrate!”
As the night wore on, a rousing chorus of an old tune rumbled through the crowd of elves.
Oh the toys are there and the kids’ asleep The cookies are gone You won’t hear a peep And the elves throw a party all dressed up in red They’ve worked hard all season while the kids are in bed
It’s a mischievous bunch (mischievous bunch) It’s a mischievous bunch (mischievous bunch)
Run run Lil’ Lil Run run Pixie Get in gear Nim You too Figgy!
Their all eatin’ candy and their faces are red Nim grabs Lil they hop on the sled Pixie and Figgy follow close behind They’re headin’ for the pole for a real good time
It’s a mischievous bunch (mischievous bunch) It’s a mischievous bunch (mischievous bunch)
Run run Lil’ Lil Run run Pixie Get in gear Nim You too Figgy!
Ooh We’re the Mischief Makers (Mischief comes this time each year)
Ooh We’re the Mischief Makers (Mischief comes this time each year)
“There you are Glitter!” shouted Figgy as he raced to catch up with the swift reindeer. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”
Pixie sped in behind Figgy, panting. “Geez, where’s the fire, Glitter?!”
“Oh,” said Glitter. “Hello, Figgy, Pixie. Was there something you needed?”
“Well, we just wanted to say hi,” Figgy said, sounding hurt.
“We haven’t seen you around much lately,” added Pixie.
Glitter sighed. “Of course, I miss you too. It’s just been…busy.”
“Busy,” said Figgy. “With?”
Glitter cleared her throat. “Er, stuff and…things.”
“Ok, Glitter,” said Pixie, hands on hips. “Spill it.”
Figgy nodded in agreement.
“Look, it’s sort of a…secret project.”
Pixie tapped her toe.
Glitter went on. “Mrs. Claus is just not ready to say anything about the…project. Yet.”
Figgy scowled.
“I promise,” assured Glitter. “When I can say, you two, and Nim and Lil, will be the first to know.”
Not quite satisfied, but knowing further poking and prodding was futile, Pixie and Figgy nodded.
“Well,” said Glitter. “Gotta run!” She turned and raced toward Santa’s house for what they could only assume was a secret meeting with Mrs. Claus.
“That was weird,” said Pixie. “Why can’t she tell us about…whatever it is she’s doing with Mrs. C?”
“I don’t know,” said Figgy, his face scrunched in thought.
“Ok,” said Pixie with a determined look. “We can’t worry about this right now. We need to get to Hermey’s house and help him with his twins.”
Figgy, who had not yet read Hermey’s file asked, “Twins only, right? I’m still having flashbacks to last season with the Malloy family.”
Pixie smiled. “Yes, just twins. Competitive ones according to the file. Let’s see what we can do to help poor Hermey.”
***
“As you can see,” said Hermey, leading Pixie and Figgy into the living room. “Sally and Suzy have been at it again. This time, they were having a contest on who could pop the most balloons in one minute.”
“But where on earth did all this confetti come from?” asked Figgy.
“The balloons,” said Hermey. “They were filled with confetti.”
Figgy gaped.
“What other things do they like to do?” asked Pixie.
“Oh, anything that involves a race or a timed activity. They just want to beat each other.”
Something tickled the back of Pixie’s mind.
A race.
A game.
A competition.
“Post-it notes!” said Pixie. “Lots and lots of post-it notes. We’ll need two colors.”
Hermey and Figgy stared blankly at Pixie.
“Er,” said Figgy. “Not sure this is the time for office supplies, Pixie.”
“No, Figgy. Don’t you remember setting up the post-it note race for Joe and Jake?”
“Oh yeah! They each had their own color and they had to see who could collect them all first.”
“That sounds right up Sally and Suzy’s alley. Where would one find ‘post it’ notes.?”
After zooming around and attaching sticky notes on any and every available spot, the Figgy and Hermey collapsed on the kitchen table next to Pixie.
“Thank you both,” said Hermey. “I know they will really enjoy this game, and it gives me a small break from the chaos. I just don’t know what I’ll do the rest of the season.”
“Oh don’t worry about that,” said Pixie as she handed a tightly rolled scroll to Hermey. “I’ve made you a list of highly competitive activities that are sure to tire them out. There are enough on there for the rest of the year!”
Jake wasn’t sure what to do next. The lead the postmaster gave them, while interesting, seemed like a big, fat dead end.
He’d already talked to Gilbert at the hatchery and had gotten nowhere.
You have to go back.
Jake shook his head, glaring at Pecky.
“Go back? How? Even if I could convince Mom we needed more chicks, there’s nothing more Gilbert will tell me.”
Pecky strutted back and forth in the pen, frustration simmering around him.
Use me.
Jake looked at Pecky doubtfully.
No, really. Use me. Tell your mom that I’m not well. I’ll even act sick.
“I don’t know…Mom already suspects something and I don’t like keeping things from her…”
Then tell her.
Jake snorted and looked at the determined glint in Pecky’s eyes.
“Tell her that the chicken I named Pecky Greenleg is actually a rooster who can talk? Tell her that I’ve already talked to Gilbert at the hatchery and the postmaster? Tell her–“
Ok, ok! I get it. But we have to come up with something. I don’t belong here.
Jake looked down at Pecky and felt a twinge of sadness for him. How awful would it be not to know where you came from?
“Ok. I’ll figure out a way for us to get back to the hatchery.”
North Pole Gazette December 25, 2020 by Sparkly Sprinkles
In an astonishing turn of events, Pixie Powder and Figgy Frost’s assigned children both discovered the truth about the elves. Joe, who found out last season, tried to stop Jake from running to the living room, but Jake was too quick. Powder and Frost, along with Nim Noel and Lil’ Lil were discovered putting the final touches on the tiny Christmas tree they were leaving as a surprise for the boys.
“I just can’t believe it,” Frost said. “We were so close to the end.”
Powder agreed, although it was difficult to understand through all the blubbering.
Nim and Lil were unavailable for questioning as they were in Santa’s office discussing what to do next season. Mr. Grimly, head of the Department of Festive Fun and Frivolity, was also attendance.
Where does this leave Powder and Frost? What will happen to them next season? This reporter can’t wait to find out.
The elves just had one more night before it was time to leave for the season. One more night of fun and mischief. One more night working with Joe until…maybe forever.
“Oh come now, if we are quiet, there is no way Jake will find out,” said Figgy.
“Besides, Joe said he would suggest a slumber party so he could keep an eye on Jake. Warn us if he woke up,” said Nim.
Pixie and Lil were nervous. They were so close to escaping discovery. So close!
“Good news!” said Nim, flying through the door. “The ornaments arrived in the nick of time.”
The colorful strands, twinkling lights and tinkling bells distracted the group and they all but forgot about the possibility of Jake finding out they were real. It was their last night of mischief and they wanted to do something really special.
“Where are the trees?” asked Glitter.
“Joe put them on top of the cabinets,” said Figgy. “I’ll go grab them.”
Figgy zipped to the top of the cabinets and scooped up one tree, twirled and reached for the other, but the tree he’d just snatched threw him off balance and fell hard in the sink, knocking dirty dishes everywhere.
BANG! CLANG! CRASH!
The Mischief Making team froze and held their breath. All was quiet for 1, 2, 3 seconds and then…
Stomp, stomp, stomp!
“Jake, wait!”
Stomp, STOMP, STOMP!
“I knew it!”
Joe came skidding into the living room after Jake and looked in horror at the elves. “Er…this is all a dream, all a dream, Jake.”
“Nice try, Joe, but I’ve been wide away for hours just waiting to catch them!”
Pixie burst into tears. Figgy fell to his knees and Nim and Lil sighed in resignation.
Nim patted Figgy on the shoulder. “It was only a matter of time, we new that this was coming.”
“What’s wrong?” asked Joe. “So he knows, now we can all play. Set up tricks for Mom and Dad, plan—.”
Joe stopped when he saw the grave looks on the team’s faces. Suddenly, he knew that his time with the elves was coming to an end. “So what happens now?”
“I’m afraid we will have to…erase your memories of us,” said Lil.
“WHAT?!” Joe and Jake both stared incredulously at the elves.
“Erase our memories of Christmas?” Jake gasped.
“No, no,” hurried Nim. “Just your memories of…us.”
Joe’s eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
Everyone looked at Jake.
“I’ll just pretend I don’t know. Then you can come back next year and I can help too.”
Pixie and Figgy smiled, looking hopefully at Nim, Lil and Glitter. “Could we do that?”
“Well…,” began Lil.
“I’m afraid not,” said Glitter. “For many reasons, but mostly because it wouldn’t be fair to all the new children who don’t have Mischief Makers yet.”
This was news to Pixie and Figgy. “Aren’t there more recruits?”
“That’s what Santa wanted to talk to us about the other day,” said Nim. “There are fewer and fewer elves signing up for the Mischief Maker program so we need all the elves we can get.”
“But…,” began Figgy. “What about Joe and Jake?”
The team looked at each other sadly, not knowing what to say.
“Then you have to go where you are needed,” said Jake with a small smile.
“Yes,” added Joe. “We would feel horrible if other kids didn’t get to experience the fun we did.”
Nim and Lil smiled proudly at Joe and Jake. They had grown so much since their first year. In stature and in character both.
“There’s just one thing,” said Jake, smiling at Joe. “Please don’t erase our memories. We had the best time with you…even if you did make a lot of messes.”
Each elf’s smile brightened the room and they turned to Glitter.
Glitter’s heart filled to bursting as the Christmas magic swelled. “I think I can convince Santa…just one more time.”
“Santa said what??” Figgy added another dollop of cream and a few more spoonfuls of sugar to his peppermint hot cocoa as he listened to Nim and Lil.
“Santa is concerned with how many “close calls” you’ve had with Jake. He feels that we should all be prepared for the…inevitable,” said Nim.
“The inevitable?” asked Pixie. “What does that mean?”
Lil smiled sadly at Pixie, forgetting that she was still learning all the rules and codes from The Book. “Here, let me show you.”
Lil pulled out her battered copy of The Book and flipped through the pages. “Ah, here it is.”
Chapter 8, Section VI, Footnote 2.1
Once a child stops believing or discovers an elf in the act of mischief making, all elf shenanigans must be erased from said child’s memory. Warm memories of Christmas should be left intact so the magic continues on to the next generation.
“But,” sniffed Pixie. “J-Joe found out and we didn’t have to erase his memory!”
Glitter sighed. “That is because I reminded Santa of…something. Something he’d forgotten and didn’t want anyone to know.”
“You mean you blackmailed the big guy,” snickered Nim.
Glitter huffed, glaring hard at Nim. “Anyway, that won’t work again. Joe knowing was one thing, but now other Mischief Makers are finding out about the arrangement and want Santa to let them do the same. It’s too much of a risk.”
“So…,” began Figgy.
“So…,” said Lil. “Once Jake finds out, we’ll have to follow The Book.”
* * *
“Ok team,” said Nim. “We only have a few more nights left until…until we have to say goodbye for-forever.”
“Possibly, maybe Jake won’t find out this year,” said Figgy.
“Right.” Nim nodded his head, knowing that it was a big maybe. “So team, what are we going to–hey, where did Lil and Pixie go?”
Glitter pointed her antlers toward the bathroom. “In there, but I’d be careful if I were you.”
“Why?” asked Figgy.
“They had scissors and they were singing.”
“What were they singing?” asked Nim.
Oh the TP in here’s delightful, But the lack of snow is frightful, Since we all soon will go, Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Pixie, Figgy and Glitter sat on the table throwing foam snowballs for Barrel.
“Too bad Nim and Lil had to stay behind,” said Pixie.
“Santa needed them for a training exercise,” said Glitter. “They’ve been neglecting their responsibilities so Santa insisted they stay behind.”
“I know,” said Figgy. “But it’s still too bad. We had planned to have an igloo building contest.”
“Why don’t you and Pixie compete?” asked Glitter.
“It won’t be the same,” sighed Pixie. “It was going to be Team Pixie and Figgy against Team Nim and Lil.”
“Yeah, the Newbies vs the Oldies.”
“Excuse me? Nim and Lil aren’t that old. Why, Nim is only 134 and Lil is a few years older.”
“Uh, Lil is younger, Glitter.”
“She is?”
“Yes, by 3 whole months,” said Pixie.
“Huh.”
“I suppose we could decorate those mini trees,” said Figgy pointing to the tops of the cabinets.
“Nah, we don’t have any of the ornaments yet and we are still waiting for the star.”
“Then what should we do?”
Glitter cleared her throat. “We can still have the competition, you know.”
Figgy and Pixie looked doubtfully at Glitter.
“There is another creature here to challenge.”
The duo cocked their eyebrows simultaneously.
Glitter snorted. “Me! You could challenge me and…Barrel.”
RUFF!
“See, he is up to the challenge.”
Figgy and Pixie smiled slyly at each other. This was going to be a piece of cake.
* * *
Figgy and Pixie were putting the final touches on their snow fort when Glitter galloped up the stairs with Barrel on her heels.
“Where on earth have you been, Glitter? Joe and Jake don’t have that many white Lego blocks.”
“Oh I didn’t build them out of blocks.”
“You didn’t?”
“Nope.”
“Wait…did you just say them. As in, more than one?”
Glitter just smiled.
Figgy and Pixie glanced nervously at each other. More than one?
Glitter turned and cantered back down the stairs. Figgy and Pixie floated down after her, curious about what they would find. When they reached the bottom, their mouths dropped.
“Glitter? How–when–?” Figgy shook his head in amazement.
“Those are so cool!” said Pixie. “How did you make them?”
a pinch of homestead 