--Bertha Oneshots--

Santa's Grotto

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! 🎄

It is a week until the first of December and everyone was already excited for Christmas. Who wouldn't be? Everyone getting together to celebrate the last month of the year with festivity; the cold wind blasting against the bricks of your home as you sit around the fireplace snuggled with blankets and hot chocolate. Nothing makes your heart sweeter then that. Even those who are grumpy are getting their spirits early, as they could hardly contain their excitement. The enthusiasm spreads quickly at this time of the year, and it wasn't long before it flooded Spottiswood and Company with good tides.

To make this upcoming season special, Bertha began to make the first lot of toys for the children. Father Christmas would certainly be pleased with all the extra help Bertha is doing. He has to take care of delivering all those presents on Christmas Eve. Not just the entire country, but all around the world! TOM, the little robot, wonders how a old man in a suit on a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer does this all in one night. The staff and Bertha told him that Father Christmas is quite a magical character, having the ability to freeze time at any moment and squeeze through even the smallest of chimneys. What unusual powers. Small TOM didn't find it unusual. TOM grinned and spun with the response before he runs off to the dispatch department to get more boxes.

One by one, the toys created a pile. That pile soon morphed into piles of crates, ready to be taken into the dispatch department. Along with the toys being made, sparkly decorations started to extend from each wall of the big room. They didn't hang much decorations (mainly because they didn't want the foreman to get bossy about having 'too much' on) but they didn't hang too little. Just enough tinsel and baubles to give more life into the factory.

It was still morning yet everyone is full of energy. They all are doing their part to help make Christmas miracles happen. "Here's the next one, Flo." Nell called out to her coworker. Flo grabbed the box and placed it with the others, trying not to stack them into a tall pillar. "The children will love these toys, Bertha." Flo applauded the machine after having a closer look at the detailing on one of them. Bertha smiled and beeped back at her. She has to make all sorts of fairy dust, lightening bolts and flames if she wants to replicate her own DIY magic. It wont be like the sort of powers Father Christmas has, but it's useful enough to complete the task.

Mr Duncan, the factory foreman, was unusually pleased with how much work has been completed. Maybe he caught the Christmas spirit early this year? Or maybe he is keen on making his own magic?

Hang on? Him?

Creating a miracle out of something that is both greedy and testy yet happy and polite? Sounds like a mixed up pudding recipe for disaster. But regardless, he still let out a smallish grin when he made eye contact with both Bertha and the pile of boxes. The goods are going out fast; if only if it was like this all the time instead of just being on Christmas, he thought. He was about to head to the dispatch department when TOM stopped him in his tracks. "Oomph!" he exclaimed when he bumped into the robot. "..TOM? You've got a note for me?" The robot's right arm was in the air, along with a sheet of flimsy paper. It was indeed a note. The foreman took it from TOM and quietly read it.

"Mr Willmake needed me in his office, eh? Heh, I must've done such a good job in the factory that I must be getting promoted!" he boasted to the robot before walking off. TOM only giggled as he followed behind him. He knows the true reason as to why the manager needed him. Mr Duncan seemed so proud to be walking on the first floor with both his hands to the sides of his jacket. It was almost as he was the VIP of the place all of a sudden. The robot stayed close, trying not to laugh or accidentally bump into him again as they both stamp lightly on the floor.

In the office, Mr Willmake was speaking to Miss McClackerty over something very important. A door shutting got their attention, and their heads turned straight away. "Good morning Mr Duncan." the manager spoke when he got a glimpse of him, "TOM must've given you the note, has he?" TOM beeped from behind the man in front. "That's right sir," Mr Duncan responded as he got up to the manager with his hands behind his back. "The note specified that you wanted to give me a 'special' job. Just to let you know, I am more then happy to accept that position." Mr Willmake smiled before speaking. "That's wonderful to hear; and I'm sure the local shopping centre will be delighted with the news!"