(no subject)

[gone_byebye]

There's music pouring from well-concealed speakers in the Firehouse as Tyler arrives, and we do mean well-concealed. When a building's decorator corps includes a twenty-three-foot-tall transforming robot and a five-armed, five-eyed, five-brained alien from an arboreal species, the decorations get everywhere. The outside of the Firehouse is practically wrapped in strings of lights, and the inside- well. Someone introduced Jhalak to the concept of pine garland this year and she kind of went berserk with it. The tree in one corner is as sparkly as a north Jersey homeowner's attempt to get on the local news. Even the dinosaur skull hanging from the ceiling of the ground floor is decorated. Ecto's probably to blame for the dinosaur-sized Santa hat, though.

Which isn't to say that's the only holiday being marked here. Miss Eartha the golem has very firmly staked out part of the Firehouse's ground floor for Hanukkah, on the grounds that it was a Jewish ritual that got her into the golem body she now occupies and she feels a certain measure of gratitude for that. Janine's been helping her with that, and somewhat reluctantly Egon's been doing so as well. No sign of Kwanzaa on the premises, probably because Winston is as big of a Christmas man as you'll ever find, but someone tacked up several solar symbols and "Joyous Solstice!" messages. As a matter of fact, about the only sign that anyone here isn't celebrating something is the periodic snark of "Bah humbug!" from the fish tank on Janine's desk.

"Here we are, Tyler. How's that look to you?"

Comments

[gone_byebye]

The man laughs. "My name is Piet," he says. "Some call me Zwarte Piet. I serve as Sinterklaas' bodyguard."

"I don't know that name, mister," says the shoplifter kid.

Piet just shakes his head a little. "You should. It was what the people of this city called him, first, before the English came and called him Santa Claus."

[basic_powers]

Blink Blink.

FACEPALM.

"Or Saint Niclaus."

[gone_byebye]

Piet nods. "Many names; one man. And many companions. That-" He gestures towards where the Krampus had been. "He comes through the stories from Austria, and punishes the bad children. You would not like where he would have taken you, boy."

The child cringes atop Eartha's shoulders. Piet holds out one hand, and the kid meekly hands over the stolen goods.

"A wise move. Perhaps next time you'll think first, hey?"

[basic_powers]

"Yessi-"

"JOSEPH MICHAEL KRAUMBAUCHER!!!"

And shoplifte boy..err. Joseph, cringes down on top of Eartha's head, as a woman tear-stained, frantic and furious at what she just saw her son do comes storming across the ice.

Wiiith a few fair slips along the way, ice and heels do NOT mix.

".......hi, mom."

[gone_byebye]

"I think I can leave his reprimand in your hands, madam," says Piet, sliding gracefully across the ice to offer the woman a hand up. "Take your son and go. We all have places to be tonight."

[basic_powers]

"T-thank you..." Is what she manages to get to her feet and slide over to Joseph to get him by the collar. From the look of things there are some very quiet and sharp words being dealt out as he's lead away to file the report with the police.

...and somehow Tyler manages to reappear on Eartha's shoulders just a few seconds later, looking a little exhausted.

[gone_byebye]

"Is everything else all right?' says Piet to Tyler and Miss Eartha. The golem nods, so Piet looks to the boy instead. "I don't mean to be rude, but I have my job to do. They're going to miss me in a bit if I don't move quickly."

[basic_powers]

"I'm good, just gonna go back to the Firehouse and take a bath. You could probably stop by later, whenever you get a break from work."

He's probably not going to get to the Firehouse right away.

Officer Chen might want some words with him.

"...where do you work, if the Police ask?"

[gone_byebye]

"Until the big night?" Piet grins. "Macy's. On Thirty-fourth. Where else?"

[basic_powers]

"H'kay, I'll pass that on to Officer Chen, you have a good night, Piet."

[gone_byebye]

"Of course," says Piet. As he leaps away he adds, "You too, Tyler."

Of course he knows the kid's name. He works for Sinterklaas.

[basic_powers]

"...Eartha, can we make one stop on the way home?" Tyler addresses downward to the golem as he spots Ray and Officer Chen breaking through the crowds finally.

[gone_byebye]

"Sure thing, kiddo," says Miss Eartha. "Where d'you need to go?"

[basic_powers]

"Where ever is the nearest place I can buy a lot of really good bubble bath."