Christmas's Beauty Within a Beast

3: Do Not Deceive One's Appearance

A drunken looking sailor awaits for the Johansson man to make his first step onto the ship. Jesper already is not too fond of the ship, as it looks too small and it smells of raw fish and smoke. Jesper's nose burns just by imagining what goes down in the ship.

Sailor: The name be Mogens. I take it you are not exactly used to this location?

Jesper: (cringing) N-Not really...

Mogens: Trust me, lad, no one is the first time they entered here. But hey. Perhaps there's more than meets the eye.

Jesper rolls his eyes as he makes eye contact with Janna. She shrugs it all off like she always does. Janna has always been the more open minded of the two, willing to tackle on even the most daring of missions. Meanwhile, Jesper will rather cozy it up on his bed and never come out.

The twin siblings hug each other, warming their bond and their freezing bodies. They rub each other's back to make sure their moment was genuine.

Mogens: Is this like a couple thing or...?

Janna: Ew, we're twins. Weirdo... (to Jesper) Hope you have a nice year in Smeerensburg...

Jesper: J-Janna! Before you go... Do you maybe have some advice to give to your favorite twin brother? Like how to survive in Smeerensburg?

Janna: (puts her hand on his shoulder) Don't step a foot on one's doorstep, don't interact with everyone, wear some warmer clothing... And whatever you do, do NOT ring the bell.

Jesper: (gulps) Have a nice year... without me...

Janna: You too, Jesper... Make her proud...

And for that, Janna hops into the carriage and carries on. Jesper stares off as the fog blurs his vision of his dear sister leaving. For once in his life, he is alone in the world with no one's hand to guide him to the right path. No house, no maids, no family members, and no clean clothing made from silk. Jesper shivers at the newfound independence and steps onto Mogens's rugged ship. He almost steps on a cracked wooden plank.

Mogens: The old girl doesn't sail like she used to back in the beginning, but she is still stable enough to sail ya to your location.

Jesper: Smeerensburg...

Mogens: Are you a Krum or an Ellingboe?

Jesper: Ummm... Neither? I'm the son of Postmaster Johansson...

Mogens: I don't think you're going to the right island. Do you mean-

Jesper: Trust me, I'm going to Smeerensburg. Now sail.

Mogens: (shrugs) Your call.

Mogens grabs a busted oar and paddles down the empty seas. There is no other signs of life to behold, fish and other people in boats are nonexistent in these lakes. In occasion, the wind will cause some turbulence, but it would not be enough to cause the boat to get tilted (which surprises Jesper a whole lot).

Even if it is only Mogens and Jesper, the latter amps up from what was once dead silence to a constant barrage of whining and yammering. Mogens is as cool as a cucumber, however, and has been able to drown out Jesper's complaints for a good two hours.

Then the third hour hits. The cool cucumber has now become a sour pickle. Mogens turns around to Jesper, who was complaining about that silk sock that had gotten wet.

Mogens: We're almost here, fella. Mind if you simmer down just a wee bit so I can focus on the path here?

Jesper: (completely ignores him) ... And that's not even the worst of it! I got these socks heated up exactly six hours after they got wet! So they felt particularly comfy until the rain just came on by and ruined them!

Mogens: That's nice, but I need you to-

Jesper: Nice? Nice?! You think this whole situation I'm going through is nice?! I got my socks wet, my pants are wrinkled, I didn't even get to dry my hair for exactly 30 minutes before putting on my cap, and some stupid cows wasted an extra two hours of my day!! And you're calling this nice?!

Mogens: Lad-

Jesper: And now I'm on this beaten up boat to some crummy island where I'm likely going to die in! I'll never see the light of day again and my family is so fucking oblivious to the fact that they're signing my death warrant by making go through with this!

Mogens: Now, don't insult my boat-

Jesper: But I have to go along with this!! You know why?! Because if I don't, I lose my part in the family estate! My father is willing to kick his only son out to his death just because of some fucking pigeons! PIGEONS, MIND YOU!!!

Mogens: Jesper!

Jesper: I HAVE NOBODY THAT WILL EVEN GIVE TWO SHITS ABOUT HOW I FEEL!!!

Mogens immediately starts to glow after Jesper screams that one sentence. For once throughout this entire boat ride, Jesper is in silence. His eyes widen upon seeing Mogens's figure thinning and his brunette short hair lengthening and becoming a lovely shade on golden blonde. His eyes, cheekbones, just about everything becomes more feminine. The sailor outfit becomes a beautiful snowy white nightgown.

Jesper: Oh my god.... You're a witch...

Mogens: Jesper Johansson, your heart is plagued with bitterness. You allow yourself to push others aside in order to make yourself special. Vanity warps your mind until you lost touch of reality.

Jesper: Witch... I am facing a witch, oh god... I thought you were myths...

Mogens: Just as you have one year to deliver six thousand letters in Smeerensburg, I shall give you one year to fall in love with someone who returns the same feelings... But who could ever love a beast...?

Mogens blows some dust onto Jesper, snaps his (her?) fingers, and disappears into the fog. Before Jesper could mutter out a word, his body decides to go against him. His head begins to throb and his stomach is burning up to his chest.

The ship lands to the shallow end of the island of Smeerensburg. Jesper forces his legs to wobble out of the boat and into his designation. While he is walking, Jesper's eyes water and his gums are losing so much blood. What did that witch do to him...? After a few more steps in the snow, his legs give up and he falls face first into the snow. The ice is able to sooth some of the pain for about two minutes, but as time passes on, the torture only grows to make Jesper suffer more.

Jesper: Someone.... (coughs up blood) Help....

Jesper reaches out for someone, something, anything to grab on to. But there is nothing.

All Jesper could remember is looking at his hand as it grows bigger and destroys his polished fingernails into these dagger like claws.

Then Jesper passes out in the snow.