Homesick

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙣𝙚 • Christmas Blues

It was Christmas and P.Y.R.A.M.Y.D. was getting ready to wind down for the holidays. 

"Cleo are you ok?" The voice of Akila said. 

"Yeah Akila, I just- WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WEARING?!" Cleo asked as she turned around. Instead of her usual school uniform, Akila was wearing some bizzare green and red sweater with a gingerbread man and candy canes on it. 

"It's my Christmas sweater, Cleo!" the girl stated cheerfully, adding that she got one for her too. Cleo didn't even have a chance to ask what was going on, before her friend "tackled" her and put on one such "sweater" over the young Egyptian's head. Then, while still trying to adjust to the itchiness of this strange top featuring a snowman, she was handed over a cup of brown goo in a mug. "Merry Christmas, Cleo," the young fish girl just stated and hugged her friend. 

"Ehm...." was the only thing Cleo could answer, her brain trying to wrap itself around any impression she just made within the last minutes, Not helped by the fact that before she could even formulate a proper sentence, Akila grabbed her by the arm. 

"Let's go and meet Brian." 

Cleo found herself being dragged over to Brian's quarters, feeling very odd and confused. Not helped by the face that when looking around the grounds of P.Y.R.A.M.Y.D., she saw students all over the place dressed in similar garments as hers, and putting all sorts of decorations everywhere. 

By the time they had reached Brian's quarters, Cleo had been wished "Merry christmas and Happy New Year" like a dozen times. Well, that once or twice a happy Chanukah, which she had to retort that she was not a Hebrew.

"Akila, what is-"

Once more, before she could properly finish her question, she was rudely interrupted. This time by Akila wishing Brian a Merry Christmas as soon as they entered his quarter. Followed by the sound of some song assaulting Cleo's ears. 

"I just want you for my own, more than you could ever known, make my wish come-"

Brian, who was sitting at his computer, turned to his friends. "Merry Christmas Akila. I am just listening to this ancient music from Terra and-" 

Cleopatra shot the radio, blowing it up for good. 

"And I am happy to say I made copies of that track," Mentioned Brian. 

"Cleo, what gives? I wanted to listen to that song," said Akila. 

"Sorry," said Cleo with an awkward smirk, rubbing her head and laughing nervously while sweating. "But the last time I heard that some today, I was almost assaulted by a creepy doll." 

"Oh you found the elf I put on your shelf?" Akila asked. 

"Yeah about that... WHAT IN A PHAROH'S NAME IS GOING ON?! Why are there some creepy singing dolls on my shelf?! Why am I wearing an itchy top made out of wool? And what is Christmas!?"

"According to the singer by the name of Andy Williams, it's the most wonderful time of the year," explained Khensu while coming into the room. He was wearing a harness with many little bells and antlers on his head.

Cleopatra couldn't believe what Khensu was wearing. It was honestly more shocking than when she found out he was the son of the administrator. But suddenly things started to make sense to her. "Oh, this is kind of a costume party, right?" 

"No Cleo, this is Christmas," explained Akila, who was throwing away the broken radio and got a Christmas hat she put on her friend. "We're trying to celebrate an an ancient holiday from Earth. According to records, the first one started 30 years.... I mean 130 years after your time," corrected Akila herself while looking a bit nervous. 

Brian, who was working on a cable of Christmas lights added: "Though, we are not sure what is Christmas related and what it isn't." 

Cleo raised an eyebrow. "How could you not know what is celebrated on such a day?" 

"Well, a certain tentacled galactic conquerer who purged us almost all records on Earth's history may be involved with it...." Khensu stated. 

"oh yeah, Octavian. Sorry, just forgot about that." Cleo admitted with a nervous chuckle. 

"My Mom and other archeologists have tried for years to get an understanding of Earth's old traditions and stumbled upon Christmas by accident. But ever since, it has gotten quite popular again. This will be the 15th Christmas I am going to celebrate." Akila explained in glee, while chewing on snowman shaped cookies. 

"Though admittedly, some aspects of it are kind of weird." Khensu admitted while accidentally scratching his antlers off his head. 

"How weird?" Cleo wanted to know. She got her answer in form of a knock at the door. When it opened, a bit decaying tree creature came in the room, holding a big bag. "Trick-or-treat!" demanded the creature. 

"Dennis?" asked a confused Cleo, realizing it was her furry classmate in a very detailed Elf costume. 

"We have controversial discussions on whether this is part of Christmas or another holiday where people worship pumpkins," Said Khensu, giving sweets to the boy. 

"that was odd," Cleo stated as she watched her classmate leave. And considering she was an ancient princess from Earth studying outer space to stop an octopus mommy from taking of the universe, she considered herself a bit of an expert when it comes to oddities. 

"Why did this start overnight?" she wanted to know. 

"Actually, it starts every first of this month," explained Brian, tangling himself in lights. "They called this month 'December' and it was also on the Gregorian Calender." 

Cleo was sure that she had heard of the Gregorian calender somewhere in class, but she didn't bother to ask further questions on that one yet. If anything, Cleo was getting more confused, but also interested, in this holiday. 

"So . . . are there many people celebrating christmas?" 

"Not really," Answered Khensu carefully. "Most celebrate it out of fun and tend to be people studying history in the first place. Many who celebrate this ancient and mysterious holiday are here, at P.Y.R.A.M.Y.D."  

She was about to ask more questions, but Akila grabbed her by the hand. "Come on Cleo, let me show you how Christmas is celebrated." 

Soon, Cleo found herself at what was called an "office party". Which was really just to get together in the mess hall, decorated with Christmas lights hanging from the ceilings, pretzels on all tables and people dressed as polar bears, drinking soda while watching the Aurora Borealis projected as a hologram. Looking around, Cleo only could make sense of one certain aspect of the celebrations around the globe: For drinks. Especially all sorts of booze, as indicated by a line of bottles on a table bearing such names of Wassail, Hot buttered Rum, Tom and Jerry, and of course, Eggnog. 

"There is alcohol?" Cleo looked over the offering with a raised eyebrow. "I thought we weren't allowed to drink it." 

"Christmas is an exception. " Khensu flicked a speck of dirt of his costume.

"oh." Cleo said. 

Akila smiled and hummed a tune that made Cleo shriek. 

"WHAT IN PTAH'S NAME IS THAT?!" She shouted, pushing herself away from the chair. 

"Cloe please." hissed a rather annoyed Khensu. "You're making a fool of yourself." 

Akila put on the radio, and started dancing. 

Cleo shrieked once again. She screamed a bloody murder and had to be held back by Brian, before she smashed the radio's face in.