Back? # **Chapter Twenty-Eight: Stockings, Hung By The Chimney With Care** *The Magispace, 9:30 PM* By the time the performers tidied up the stage, the intermission had lasted nearly double its scheduled fifteen minutes. After all, some of its decorations and mechanisms had become valuable tools in the fight against Eira! Fortunately, Nikolas’ powers were still on their side, and it wasn’t long before everything was back in order, and the show could begin anew. Moments before the curtains rose, the performers readied themselves backstage. Willow hadn’t fully been cleared of the possession’s remnants, but she found enough energy to don her festive apparel and join her friends on the stage, albeit sitting on a stool for support. The ten members of StrangeNation were together for their live debut, just as they had hoped. “Okay…it’s ‘Into the Unknown’ up first…” Mercury declared, glancing at the show’s itinerary and raising an eyebrow. “Did we ever figure out who was performing that, exactly?” Fileran grinned. “Follow me, everyone.” “The hell you mean, follow you?! We’re needed on stage! And Nuro’s in the bathroom, for gods’ sakes!” Burgundy was irate. Still, Fileran didn’t back down. “Did I stutter, darling?” Begrudgingly, StrangeNation — sans Nuro — followed him, taking a seat in the audience’s front row. The curtains parted shortly after. Symphony3 was at their instruments, and… “Oh my gods, he’s doing it…” Mercury muttered in awe. “Fileran, how did you ever convince him?!” Fileran simply put a finger to his lips. A hush fell over the crowd, waiting with bated breath as Commander Nuro began to sing. *Music: Into The Unknown - Panic! At The Disco* By the final note, there wasn’t a soul seated in the audience. They were all on their feet, providing Nuro’s performance with a standing ovation. It was glorious: his voice didn’t waver or falter, not even for a moment. The stage was his, and his presence was captivating — as his title would suggest, he could truly command a crowd. As his friends returned backstage, Nuro could hear murmurs from the audience, from shock at his performance to praise and cheers. “NURO!!! Oh my stars, that was wonderful! You were wonderful!” Fileran shrieked, choking him with his hug. Burgundy was shaking her head, mouth agape. “You…you did it! Nuro, you sang! In front of all those people!” Nuro grinned, tears welling in his eyes. “I…I guess I did, didn’t I? Surprise!” Taron, on the other hand, was frowning. “Are you proud of yourself for that?” He asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at Nuro. “I…yeah?” His surly friend broke out into a massive grin. “Good. Because you absolutely should be — that was amazing, Nuro! I…” He cleared his throat, trying to recapture a bit of his aloof persona. “...I’m proud of you, I guess.” “D’aww, thanks, Taron. C'mere.” Nuro pulled Taron into a hug and rustled his hair, ignoring his half-hearted grumpy protests. Everyone could see Taron's smile, no matter how hard he tried to bend it into a scowl. The rest of the concert went off without a hitch. For the performers, it no longer felt like work. Instead, it was a sweet, well-deserved reward after everything they had been through to get there. The tight bonds and teamwork that had allowed the heroes to defeat Eira carried over into their unity as a musical group. They breathed new life into classic, familiar tunes. Their friends and families were in the audience, and they were eager to give them a great show. After their final notes had been played and bows were taken, our heroes gathered in Astral’s living room to warm up and toast their success with soup, hot drinks, and cookies. The tree’s coloured lights and the flickering fireplace brought their hearts warm, relaxing contentment. They took turns reciting verses of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ and watched Sydney hang her stocking on the mantle before retreating to bed. Once the cozy, festive rituals were over and they could barely keep their eyes open, it was time to turn in for the night. Each and every one of them fell asleep feeling peaceful, joyous, and relieved, without a care in the world. *Music: A Winter's Wish - Auni*