Jingle Bells
Legacy Name: Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells

The North Pole Pets are a very special group of animals valued not only for their magical abilities - but for their close, personal relationships with Santa Claus.

Among this diverse group of mammals, birds and even fish is one particular reindeer that has long been the loyal companion and confidant of the Father of Elves. Jingle Bells has never qualified for sleigh duty through the reindeer games but he is to Santa what Rudolph is to the Christmas music industry. This is the reindeer that sometimes gets invited to sit before Santa's hearth and slurp a hearty mug of cocoa while jolly Kris Kringle is pondering the naughty vs. nice lists for the upcoming holiday season.

Jingle loves every part of his life but those few weeks before Christmas Eve are the time of year he adores.

In cities and towns and villages around the world live children with no family to love on Christmas Day. At any other time of year these little ones are left to feel alone and forgotten. Not so when the first flakes of snow start to fall. They go to bed on some orphanage cot or the attic bedroom of the third cousin forced to take them in. They wake up standing next to the North Pole.

Santa places a comforting hand on the child's shoulder.

"Will you take a ride with me, Child?"

There's not a one that's ever refused the offer.

Santa listens to their complaints or lets them sit and take in the wonder of ice castles and enchanted snowmen. Jingle pulls his precious cargo at a steady pace, allowing the Big Guy to choose the perfect moment for his pitch.

"You've gone so many years feeling that nobody loves you. That couldn't be farther from the truth, my child. I have loved you since the day you were born. When your mother brought you into this world, she prayed to anyone listening that you would have a better life and enjoy all the best life has to offer. I'm here to offer you a chance to live the life I love. If you accept, you will be competing with many other worthy children in the Elf in Training Course. If you place among the top five children, you will be magically transformed and join my team of elves. If you want to return to the life you know, or if you decide to walk away right now, I promise to send you on your way with a little Christmas magic to help you make your dreams come true."

There are those that step from the sleigh with a polite thank-you and are sent on their way with a giant candy cane and the Christmas magic sphere attached to their hearts. They remember nothing of that magical dream aside from a general feeling of happiness upon waking.

For the rest, the ride continues until they come to Santa's Castle.

The children are treated to fresh-baked goodies from Santa's Bakery. They're allowed time in the Toy Test Room where they can play with every toy they've ever dreamed of owning - along with a few that aren't even on the market yet. They spend a night sleeping on soft down-filled pillows, dreaming of the thickest, juiciest sugar plums imaginable.

When dawn breaks, the race starts.

There are four stages to Elves in Training. Elf hopefuls must survive Candy Cane Dodging, Toy Maze, Wrapper Agility and Sweets Sledding. Each comes with its own demands for athleticism, intelligence and strategy and every leg of the course is as grueling as it is fun.

Santa's pets are each assigned their own sleigh with a hopeful child. Each animal has unique abilities that must be discovered in the course of the race. Tika the Otter has holly berries growing in her white fur that can be used to make objects in the course temporarily transparent, allowing sleigh and rider to pass harmlessly through otherwise solid objects. Navita the snowshoe hair can shatter the thickest chunk of ice with one of her magic songs. Gnut the great arctic wolf walks on the slickest ice as if it were dry concrete.

By far the favorite Santa's Pet is Jingle. Not only is he the fastest runner but he has a big heart, personally seeing those children home that don't make the cut. Legend has it that Santa himself won the race thousands of years ago by partnering with Jingle.

When the children first look out on the course, they are treated to a view of a gently sloping field with drifts of snow blowing over the surface in tiny twirls.

Then the buzzer sounds and the madness begins.

First up are the Candy Cane Crushers, swinging from platforms ingeniously hidden in the clouds and the mounds of snow off to the side. There are even candy cane men that skate by with candy clubs and take a swing at the passing riders. The blows don't hurt since these clubs are made of cotton candy but losing your grip on the sleigh puts you out of the game.

Next comes the dreaded (and delightful) toy maze. Nutcrackers, dolls and model cars the size of small houses shape a wickedly fun series of dead ends and confusing loops that leave many riders raising their white flags. This move will get you the help of an elf...at a price. Real elves can find a lost present in the fury of a snowstorm. The white flag isn't just a symbol of surrender...it's a one-way ticket back to the human world.

The Workshop Obstacle Course has competitors jumping through hoops...quite literally. There are hula hoops and giant wreaths that must be effortlessly cleared. There are delicate ribbon jumps that must not be ripped. At the end is the nefarious building block wall with its impossible ledges. The child that can successfully navigate over the top and down the other side without getting stuck is a worthy future elf indeed.

Finally, there is Sweets Sledding. It's a full-out mad dash for the finish line across sticky-sweet hills of colored and flavored sugar. Gumdrops, butterscotch discs and chunks of chocolate seem to pop up out of nowhere and threaten to leave a sledding pair up to their eyeballs in tasty things.

This year's race has been one for the history books. It's Jingle and Akata the snow leopard running neck and neck for the finish line. Her own chameleon-like ability allows her and her rider to sneak up on many unsuspecting opponents and surprise them into making a mistake. Jingle is well used to her tricks and hasn't lost a race to her in years. Elves, reindeer and magical snowmen are cheering themselves hoarse on the sidelines as this impressive pair of competitors uses every last drop of energy to shoot over the red-and-white checkered line that marks the end of the race.

Jingle wins by a nose. The little girl that has served as his friend and companion runs over to throw her arms around his neck as the magical transformation surrounds her in a cloud of light. The painless process takes a few inches off her height and gives her the classic pointy ears of the elves. The boy paired with Akata comes over to shake her hand and congratulate her on a race well run. His own transformation is complete and both are eager to start Elf School - so much more fun and interesting than the human variety. Akata gives Jingle a playful tap with the side of her head which he carefully returns - even a miniature reindeer has horns that can do some damage. Rivalries are all for fun at the North Pole and there is no such thing as a sore loser.

Santa's pets get together at the Holly Barn later that evening to toast the new elves, wish the sleigh team good flying and simply enjoy the company of those lucky few animals blessed with Christmas magic all the year through.

Credits

Profile Code by: Ringo
Edited by: Chrysariel
Story by Pureflower
Overlay by: Goth
Background by: Pixabay
Falling Snowflake
Code by: GitHub
Jingle Bells by: NetClipArt
Sleigh by: PngMart
Lights by: AnnaliseArt Pixabay
Metal frame by: PngTree
Purple Present 1 by: clker
Purple Present 2 by: Roblox
Clouds by: ClipArtPng
Small Snow by: clkerPngTree
Large Snow by: FreePngImg
Name Art by: Chrysariel

Thanks to Bliss for
letting me adopt him~ <3