a Scott Pilgrim Christmas
âDecember 23rd, 2012 is the coldest day in the history of Canada. Frost giants have been observed sailing down the St. Lawrence on a raft made of maple trees. We ask that the citizens pray to Odin and Thor for deliverance.â Scott Pilgrim narrated to himself as he got dressed. It really was cold outside, though perhaps not as cold as he made it sound, and Scott had a backpack full of presents to give out before everybody left for Christmas.
âOur research has uncovered that the Norse gods can be summoned by performing the ritual chant. We repeat it as follows.â
Scott made a series of howling and whistling noises as he strapped up his moon boots. He put on his parka and ventured out into the snow.
His first stop was Stills's place, because it was closest. It appeared he was the only pedestrian bold enough to brave the wintry conditions â the snow was easily a foot high in places, and the snow plows weren't interested in clearing out this residential neighborhood.
Stills was outside shoveling his driveway. He had his back turned, so Scott decided to give him fair warning, sportsman that he was.
âOOOWEEEEEEEOOOOOOO! Frost giant! I will dispatch you back to Jotunheimr!â
Stephen Stills knew this threat, and dashed for the cover of the corner of his house. Scott was too quick for him, though â he'd rolled up a snowball in advance, and let fly with all the power of his imaginary Viking ancestors. The icy projectile nailed Stills squarely in the hip, and the impact knocked him dramatically off his feet. There was perhaps a bit of acting involved.
Scott crept up to his vanquished opponent, wary of any reverse. He reached inside his bag.
âMercy, conqueror,â Stephen Stills whispered.
âBy this, you shall be defeated, forevvvvveeeerrrrrrrr,â Scott moaned eerily. From his bag, he pulled a little gift-wrapped box, roughly the size of a nice bowl of cereal.
Stills popped up to his feet. âOh, thanks, Scott.â He took the package, and opened it up.
âIt's a phaser pedal. So you can write spacier songs. Or something.â
Stephen Stills smiled, genuinely. âThanks, Scott. Wow. That's... really nice of you. Damn. This is like the first Christmas gift you've ever gotten me, isn't it?â
Scott thought for a second. âYep! See? I'm growing up. Or something. I'm a mature adult.â
âYeah. That's why you're running around screaming about frost giants, right?â
âI think heroism and self-sacrifice are the true signs of maturity,â Scott beamed.
Stills shook his head slowly. âDude, come in the basement real quick. I have cider. Real cider.â
Scott and Stephen sat on the old ragged couch in Stills's basement. They drank cider, which Stills claimed to have made from apples he'd picked himself, with spices he'd harvested near the roots of Yggdrasil, the World-Tree. Scott believed this. In a corner of the room, Neil Nordegraf lay on the floor. He'd tangled himself up in the red Nintendo hoodie that had been Scott's present to him; now he lay on the floor writhing. Scott and Stephen assumed this was normal.
âShouldn't you be huddling with Ramona around a fireplace or something?â Stills asked.
âHmm.... probably. She went back to America already, though. We're going to a ski lodge next week. For skiing. In Quebec. That was my gift. It cost all the money. She seemed unusually happy, though. I think this is the secret, Stills.â
âThe secret to life, the universe, and everything.â Scott stared into his cup of cider.
âScott, it occurs to me that if you didn't buy everybody nice gifts, we would probably all abandon you, because you're crazy,â Stills observed.
âWhatever, man. I'm the only thing keeping you safe from frost giants. You should be paying me. Like, a salary. It's a full-time job.â
âAaaaaaand I'm gonna go back to shoveling the snow,â Stills said. âThanks for the gift, though. There should be something under your tree when you get home.â
âMerry Christmas, Stephen Stills. Merry Christmas, Neil!â Scott called, as he left.
Neil wriggled his appreciation from the floor.
Scott continued his trudge. His inner energy resisted the cold. He imagined himself one of Napoleon's soldiers on the doomed march to Moscow.
âOh, my captain, we surely will perish in these conditions! Sacre bleu!â He affected his best French accent, which was much more French Canadian than anything.
Next up was Kim Pine. Easy to buy gifts for, hard to give them to. Unsurprisingly, when Scott arrived at her house, she was not outside.
âFor the glory of Napoleon!â cried Scott Pilgrim, as he wound up another snowball. This was a big one â not quite volleyball-sized, but nearly. âLong live the French Empire! We die like heroes!â
He wound up â he would fire this at Kim's front door. By no better means could he make his presence known.
As his arm unspooled, Kim Pine, in penguin onesie pajamas, opened the door to investigate the inexplicable yelling occurring outside her house. But the snowball was already thrown. It hit poor Kim squarely in the face. She gave a muffled cry, and toppled over backwards.
Scott scrambled through the open doorway. Kim had her face in her hands.
âUmm. Sorry, Kim,â Scott mumbled. He handed Kim his scarf, and she used it to dry her face.
Kim sat up. There was a little cut on her upper lip, and maybe a tear forming in the corner of her eye. She looked at Scott, and there was a look in her eye that spoke of black holes and terminal diseases.
Then she pushed Scott onto his back, and grasped him by the collar, and smacked him with the back of her hand, repeatedly, saying, âYou. Need. To. Grow. Up. Or. I. Will. Kill. You.â
When he couldn't take any more, Scott grasped Kim's wrists. âKim. You are absolutely right. That is why I am here. I am here to bring you Christmas. I regret the snowball deeply, but I think it probably creates a more authentic Christmas experience.â Kim's glare dissipated, but only a tiny little bit. Nevertheless she let go, and they stood up.
Scott reached into his bag, and pulled out Kim's gift, also neatly-wrapped like the last one, with a bow on. She opened it wordlessly.
âWhat is this, exactly?â she said.
âIt's the most horrible Japanese thing I could think of. The Guinea Pig DVD box set. Twelve hours of torture and gore and stuff. It seemed right up your alley,â said Scott, scratching the back of his head.
Kim raised an eyebrow. âMost girls would expect maybe some earrings, or lotion, or something...â
âLike I know how to buy any of that. Besides, you're not most girls. I actually know what you like. Come on, can we watch some of it? Help me understand, Kim. Help me understand horrible Japanese things.â
Kim no longer glared, and instead her eyes sparkled for a moment. And then she realized that her lip was bleeding, and she put her hand to it and winced. But then she hugged Scott, anyway.
âI think this actually makes me hate you more. But, in a good way. Or something,â she murmured into his coat.
âClose enough,â he replied. Scott put his hand on Kim's chin, and gently raised her face towards his own. He looked into her eyes, and said, âKim Pine... do you have any popcorn?â