[Video]

[most_unwanted]

Looks like someone knew exactly what I wanted... or should I say, needed.

[The image focuses on a poster on the wall of Mulder's office area in his apartment. There are a bunch of other things pinned to the wall as well- mostly his own notes, and other things of interest he's collected over time here. But the poster is clearly the focus of the picture. Finally, Mulder moves in.]

Did anyone else catch sight of that sleigh in the sky on Christmas Eve? I know I saw something up there, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't a spaceship. This time.

You see... on my world, Santa Claus is a mythical character believed in by children... but I'm starting to wonder now if there might be something to that supposed legend of good old Saint Nick. It would explain the freaky little elves who were running around demanding things, too.

[Believing in children's fantasies is a bit of a stretch even for him usually, but after his sighting and the gift he wonders. Sure, it's just as much possible it's some trick of the Malnosso... but would that matter right now with what this means to him? He glances back to the poster. Back home, it had been burned up in that fire, along with a great deal of his work. Having it back gives him a feeling of hope and renewal.]

Maybe that's what Santa- or someone- wants to tell me. To keep believing, to never give up. It's a very different message than I'd have gotten from a fruitcake.

Comments

[shenevermisses]

How does this "Santa Claus" explain the weird little mu-- things running around?

[Her world has no concept of Santa Claus, and this message raises far too mamy questions.]

[most_unwanted]

[Oh, right, that reference will go flying over a lot of heads, from people in other worlds. He's willing to fill her in on that aspect, though.]

Part of Santa's mythology involves the elves. They're sort of like... workers or helpers of his. They run around watching kids to determine if they're behaving, which ultimately determines the nature of the gifts they receive on Christmas.

...Though I never thought they were as odd as the ones we had here.

[shenevermisses]

So. This guy brings presents depending on how you behave?

[video]

[eightlazylegs]

Have seen on TV, but thought was fictional. But if elves then possibly Santa. Did not see. [Hermes had been huddled up in his bathtub at the time, trying to ignore the rest of this nonsensical world.]

[video]

[most_unwanted]

[This world makes total sense. As do talking octopuses. Mulder peers at him curiously as he replies.]

I'm becoming convinced that everything that's fictional really exists in some universe. That's one thing I've learned from being in this place... it's opened my mind to possibilities I'd never even considered. Like Santa.

[It's not like he needed his mind opened more than it already is, but there you have it.]

[Voice]

[complicatedliar]

I think the elves were just sent to annoy us.

I have become convinced that Santa Claus is a deity worshiped by children. Belief is a powerful force. So he likely exists but is not nearly so benign as all of you like to think.

[Voice]

[most_unwanted]

That's true, and the power of belief might account for his existence... But what makes you think he's not so benign?

[...DID SOMEONE END UP ON THE NAUGHTY LIST?]

[Voice]

[complicatedliar]

Gods largely do not require belief in order to exist. It simply provides power.

Because no one is that good, Mulder. [He says this as if it should be a well known fact.] Least of all gods.

[stilldontgotit]

Where I'm from, there's a world out there called Christmas Town. I haven't seen it firsthand, and, heck, I used to reject the idea of Santa altogether.

But with as many worlds as there are, I don't think the idea of him's that strange anymore. Hard to, really, when you're good friends with a talking mouse.

[most_unwanted]

So many worlds, and think of what hasn't yet been discovered... So, Christmas Town, huh? I wonder if that place connects somehow to the North Pole in my world, where Santa lives.

[He definitely feels like this is all the more reason to believe all of the worlds are connected in various ways.]

[stilldontgotit]

Beats me, but I guess it's possible. If Halloween Town's anything to go by, it probably looks like every Christmas card in existence tossed into a blender.

[In short, all the super saccharine holiday cheer.]

[i_speak_softly]

Mr. Mulder. I haven't seen you in a while.

[And last time he was suffering from his death loss. He wants to catch up on SCIENCE. And maybe Santa.]

[most_unwanted]

[They most certainly can do that. There is now undeniable PROOF of Santa... an eyewitness account, at least.]

It has been a little while, hasn't it? How are things, Don? I hope you've had a chance to enjoy the season.

[i_speak_softly]

It's been good to me. [Even now, he's absently playing with the puzzle-toys Robert gave him.] Similarly for you, I hope?

[Voice]

[windandrain]

Oh, without a doubt he'd want you to keep believing.

[Saori laughs gently.]

He is real, you know.

[Voice]

[most_unwanted]

I like knowing that. [He grins, overall glad that he's had that side of his faith renewed.] So have you ever met him in person? Is he a lot like the legends depict him?

[Voice]

[windandrain]

No, I haven't met him. I know some who have, though. He's a well regarded spirit all over the world though.

Santa has...quite a lot of power, drawn from belief. It's not so sinister as it sounds. He uses it to perform his Christmas miracles, I'm told. Though, the good spirits born in Europe I've little experience with.

[weaponry]

Wait! Are you telling me that Santa Claus isn't even real? That all of that extensive research I did in the library is nothing but hearsay and myth?! [ You can hear the sound of some wooden thing breaking in the background. ] What?! Then what's with the delegation of presents?! The elves?! And, he was in the sky! I know I saw something that wasn't a bird up there!

[ She's very defensive about this. She doesn't want to think about how much the Malnosso know about her if they gave her this wonderful present, so she blames it on santa. ]

[most_unwanted]

[Reminds him a lot of his sister reacting when he'd picked on her for still believing, as kids. Good thing he's actually not saying that, though. Quite the opposite.]

No, no, I'm not saying that, at all.

On my world, it's not... a regular thing, for adults to continue believing in Santa Claus. [Says the man who believes wholeheartedly in aliens. Childhood things are quite different, though, and for him childhood associations aren't usually happy.] But I saw that sleigh in the sky on Christmas Eve... that and those elves... it has to mean he's real. He exists.

[Voice]

[origami_ninja]

His existence does not seem any more unrealistic than our current situation.

[Voice]

[most_unwanted]

That's what I'm thinking, too. Santa must have existed all along, but the nature of his power normally keeps him hidden from discovery, at least on my world.

[It makes as much sense as anything, and what a perfect way to keep himself concealed, by pretending to be only a children's myth.]

[spohkh]

[Spock is sitting on his meditation mat with the journal open. As he is still without his sight, he cannot read the written post...

...so this spoken post piques his interest.]

I did not personally witness this event... however, it is the same in my own universe. Santa Clause is a myth branch from Christian beliefs... and a beverage company.

However, your moral is sound.

[most_unwanted]

It sounds like we share a common world, or version of it. The one I know of is derived from a Saint Nicholas... of course, his image morphed over the years to become the Santa of my present time.

I just can't believe it never occurred to me to start believing in him until now.

[To be fair, beliving in a kids' legend did seem a bit silly, before.]

[voice] HI I AM LATE BUT HELLO

[poorqueequeg]

I see you got your poster back. I'm surprised you didn't get it sooner.

[There's a bit of joking in her voice of course, but she's smiling.]

Glad to see you got what you wanted though.

[voice] OH HI LATECOMER, NOW GET OVER HERE AND MAKE ME A SANDWICH

[most_unwanted]

I've been keeping an eye out and hoping it would show up in the shop one day, but I guess it held more significance. It was better than coal in my stocking.

[He lucked out and didn't get too many insane requests from those elves, at least.]

Did Santa leave you anything, Scully?