Open Log

[rightjollyoldelf]

 Who: Nicholas St. North and Anyone
Where: Fourth Floor Hallway
When: Now
What: Santa and magical model railroads

Early this morning, North had had an idea. And being North, he couldn't resist putting it into motion as soon as possible. Within the space of a few hours he had drawn up the plans, collected the materials, and begun constructing a model railroad.

A model railroad filled with implausible leaps and jumps and loop-the-loops. A model railroad that could only work with the addition of a little magic.

And a model railroad that was now taking up a large chunk of the fourth floor hallway.

For non-believers that was all the could see.  But for those who believed in Santa?  They might be able to see him fussing cheerfully over the painted details on the train as he put on the finishing touches.

Comments

[silent_guardian]

Hey, North, your train just loop-de-looped through a golden sand ring.

Sandy was lounging on his golden cloud, watching the show with a gleeful grin on his face.

[rightjollyoldelf]

[North claps and laughs with delight. Clearly these are the most mature of guardians.]

Excellent, Sandy!

[silent_guardian]

[The VERY most mature! He grins, soaring along above the train as he watches its progress]

[rightjollyoldelf]

[North leaps along the side of the tracks as he follows after the train.]

Needs more loop the loops, yes?

[silent_guardian]

[Sandy nods enthusiastically. Yes! Yes it does! He follows the train until it comes to a stop at the next station. He thinks for a moment before grinning mischievously and drifting over to pour some dream sand into the smoke stack.

When the train starts up again it puffs golden smoke.]

[rightjollyoldelf]

[North claps his hands together again, and with a thought reshapes the track ahead into a complicated ramp.]

[silent_guardian]

[Sandy laughs silently and claps his own hands in glee, watching North work. He's always been impressed by the man's creativity in these inventions of his it was always a joy to watch him at work.]

[i_demand_euphoria]

Calvin is probably just about the biggest believer that ever believed, so while he was most certainly following the train to find it's source because he's pretty sure nothing this cool existed in the castle before today, he eventually comes across North, tinkering.

He stops dead at the realization of who he's looking at. Sure the Easter Bunny said Santa was here, but being told and actually seeing the guy were two entirely different things. "... Santa?"

[rightjollyoldelf]

[North blows on the train car to dry the paint and set it down on the track. Then he turns to beam goodnaturedly at Calvin.]

Hah, yes! I am Santa. And you are young Calvin.

[i_demand_euphoria]

[Calvin's eyes go really wide with a combination of surprise and excitement.]

You know my name?!

[rightjollyoldelf]

Should I not?

[i_demand_euphoria]

... I don't know, it's just surprising. Do you know every kid just by looking at them?

[rightjollyoldelf]

Every child is on my lists. How else should I know which child to give gifts to?

[princeandwizard]

Ohjiro was exploring the halls with his trusty doll in hand and a journal under his arm, trying to get a feel for his new surroundings... and to find his room as well, as he'd yet to locate it. It was a rather large castle, after all. He had to take a brief nap on the lobby couch before he could start exploring again.

Once he's at the fourth floor, he stops abruptly when he sees the train set up. He can't see North for the moment (after all, he still needs to be told of Santa's existence here) but he'll be admiring the train and its tracks with interest.

"Amazing."

[sugarwaffo]

Sugar did her best to check out the castle every day, always on the search for a twinkle. It's more challenging since people usually keep their doors locked, but she does it anyway. The hallways at least are open, though there is fewer twinkle possiblities there.

But today, Sugar notices something new in the hallway. Something shiny.

Shiny like a twinkle.

"Oh boy, a twinkle! I've found one!" Sugar exclaims and flies over as fast as she can, landing on the miniature railway for further inspection. She hasn't noticed North yet, distracted by thoughts of twinkles and Magic Flowers. Plus, the train set goes a pretty far distance by her perspective. "It sure is big."

[rightjollyoldelf]

"Now who are you, hmmmm?"

North watches the little fairy land.

[sugarwaffo]

"Huh?" A voice? Where did that come from? Sugar looks around until she finally notices an older human nearby, all in red. Her face breaks out into a huge grin.

"I'm Sugar!"

[rightjollyoldelf]

"Then it is very nice to meet you, Sugar. I am Nicholas St.North." North beams cheerfully at her. "Do you like my train?"

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[Gosh you know what this happy scene needs? JUDGEMENT. Bunny's here, staring at the stupid bloody thing]

You do know people live in this hallway, right?

[rightjollyoldelf]

Bah. Will do them no harm to have something to see for a day.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

What if there's a fire. [He's just being pedantic]

[rightjollyoldelf]

Why would there be fire? Is stone castle.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

With you? Anything is possible.

[rightjollyoldelf]

Hah! Is true!

[Have an enthusiastic clap to the shoulder.]

But will be no fire today. Tonight is night for trains!

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[Bunny stares at the trains for a moment, wanting to argue. He just gives a frustrated sigh]

Fine. Fine. Tonight is for trains.

[rightjollyoldelf]

Excellent. We have agreement.

[You wanted to help, right?]

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[Bunny's expression of disdain turns into one of mild panic for a moment]

No, wait, what? What agreement?

[rightjollyoldelf]

Is night for train, of course! Come! Sandy is already helping!

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

...I'm not going to get out of this, am I?

[rightjollyoldelf]

Of course not! Is perfect time for guardians to meet.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

Fine, fine. Let's get this over with.

[unexpected_adventures]

[Bilbo could not resist noticing the noise that was coming from the fourth floor hallway. His Tookish side was well awake by now, as he crept forward to see what the clicking and rushing sound was.

His eyes widened, as he saw the model railway in all it's glory. Who could have built such a thing?]

Oh. Did you make that?

[rightjollyoldelf]

I did! Is excellent practice!

[Hi Bilbo. Say hello to the huge guy in red beaming cheerfully down at you.]

[unexpected_adventures]

You must be a skilled craftsman to be able to make toys such as these. [You're huge, Santa. Much larger than Bilbo here.]

[rightjollyoldelf]

Have had much time to practice!

[bravelittlegirl]

Ib had finally finished her book, and was on her way to the library to return it, her spirits lifted somewhat by the happy ending. But she didn't expect to find, in the middle of the hallway, the biggest and most complicated model train set she'd ever seen. It almost looked more like a roller coaster.

She had another surprise when she noticed who was working on it. Oh, the nice old man who'd helped her when she first got here! Ib waved a little, trying to get his attention. "Did you make all this?" she asked.

[rightjollyoldelf]

"I did!" He beams cheerfully at her. North loved showing his creations to children most of all. "What do you think?"

[bravelittlegirl]

"It's amazing," she said, captivated. "The track's so long. Is it really for trains?"

[rightjollyoldelf]

"It is! Long tracks are best to experiment with!"

[bravelittlegirl]

"Experiment?" Ib stepped carefully over the track into a space in the middle.