Snowcon Forest

A Gift

Subcon Forest was lively and full of motion as Subconites ran back and forth. Some were carrying glowing mushrooms back to the village while others worked to get rid of as much of the snow blanketing the ground as possible. Floating close to the center of the village was Moonjumper.

The corpse appeared to be directing the chaos, telling the Subconites where to go and what to do. He was also helping in his own way as red strings could be seen hanging between each house as the smaller shadows worked to tie the mushrooms to them.

Yes, the forest was full of chaos and shouting but there was a reason for this madness.

It was a celebration of the newly formed family, a way to show both Mu and Hat Kid how happy Snatcher, Moonjumper, Christine, and the Subconites were. Besides, a party was exactly what they needed to... liven the forest up!

The two children had been told to stay out of the forest for a couple of days so that way they would be surprised by the party, and not interfere with the preparations or discover what their presents would be before they opened them.

Moonjumper had been very adamant that everything be kept a secret since he wanted to surprise Mu.

Snatcher, Christine, and Moonjumper were all responsible for their own gifts to give the children while the Subconites had worked together to craft their own present.

Both Christine and Moonjumper had quickly finished their gifts, the duo immediately knowing what they wanted to give to the children in thanks, but Snatcher was having a tougher time. He had figured out what he wanted to get Mu but deciding what to give Hat Kid was proving to be quite the challenge.

What could he give her that would properly express how grateful he was? What gift could represent the joy she had brought to his life? The hope she had given him?

There was no gift he could give that would ever be able to properly thank the hatted child for all she had done, for both himself and the forest, but he had to think of something to give her!

The rest of the denizens of Subcon were too busy with preparing for the party, too caught up to notice the struggle Snatcher was going through and offer their own help, not that he would ever accept it.

He was proud and wanted to show his appreciation towards his daughter in his own way, which meant no wimping out and relying on someone else's ideas!

He would figure out what to give Hat Kid!

Eventually.

Meanwhile on a certain spaceship, Mu and Hat Kid were both putting together their own presents for a very similar reason. The two girls were grateful for their new home and as such wanted to give their new family gifts to show their thanks.

As such they had decided to take advantage of the days they were spending away from the forest in order to get ready and do what they needed to do. It never occurred to either girl that perhaps the rest of their family had a similar plan in mind and that was why they had been told to stay away.

No, both were far too focused on their own missions and could not consider the possibility of that being true in their current, somewhat stressed out states.

Hat Kid was currently finishing up her own gifts for Snatcher as she had already completed the ones she wanted to give to Moonjumper and Christine. She, unfortunately, did not have enough resources to make presents for the Subconites so she had to settle on giving them something else. Mu had, after snagging a bunch of paper and some art supplies, hidden herself away in some other section of the ship as she worked on her own gifts.