Special Present for You! - 4: Christmas Past

Several years earlier

Kamishiro Household - Garage

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1

Little Rui

Connect this wire here and...

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2

Little Rui

Yes, it's working.

3

Little Rui

I'll attach this motion detector and leave it near the entrance. Let's see... Somewhere around here...

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4

Rui's Mother

Rui? It's almost time for lunch...
Wait, this place is a mess. I just cleaned it this morning...

5

Rui's Father

Oh, did you make another fun device?!

6

Little Rui

Mom, Dad!

7

Rui's Father

The thing in your hand... Is that a motion detector? How do you plan on using it?

8

Little Rui

I'm thinking about having it light up whenever it detects a person.

9

Rui's Mother

Light up when it detects a person...?
What made you want to make something like that?

10

Little Rui

I'm hoping to meet Santa.

11

Little Rui

He stops by each year to deliver presents, right?

12

Little Rui

I want to thank him for being so kind, but I've never been able to meet him...

13

Little Rui

That's why I've been making all these different devices.

14

Little Rui

And when I do meet him, I'm going to give him a present.

15

Rui's Mother

I see. Now I understand.

16

Rui's Father

Then, are the toys in this box for him?
Did you make all these, Rui...?

17

Little Rui

Yes, so that he doesn't get bored while waiting for the next Christmas to come around.

18

Rui's Father

Haha. So that Santa Claus doesn't get bored, eh?
You're so kind, Rui. Still...

19

Rui's Father

You made so many of these devices...
This entire garage is covered in them now.

20

Little Rui

Because I'll probably be asleep when he comes to visit.

21

Little Rui

That's why I made it so I'd wake up when he does!

22

Rui's Father

I see...

23

Little Rui

For example, when you open the door, this plank will fall off and...

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24

Rui's Father

Whoa!

25

Little Rui

Set off a really loud alarm.
Then, this noise will cause...

26

Rui's Mother

So bright...!

27

Little Rui

It'll flicker like this!
Not only will it wake me up, it should stun Santa for just long enough.

28

Rui's Mother

Stun him for just long enough...?

29

Rui's Father

This...

30

Rui's Father

This is incredible, Rui!
A flickering light that activates after it hears a loud noise. Your imagination is impeccable!

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31

Rui's Father

While you're at it, you should add a couple more gimmicks to your contraption! For example, you could modify your alarm clock in such a way that...

32

Rui's Mother

Don't you think there's something a little more important that we need to discuss right now, dear?

33

Rui's Father

Oh... R-Right!
Umm...

34

Rui's Father

So, Rui...
We'd prefer it if you got a good night's rest. We promise to thank Santa for you.

35

Little Rui

Huh? Why?

36

Rui's Mother

Because... He's probably a very busy person.

37

Rui's Mother

He has to visit quite a lot of other children, so it wouldn't be nice to interfere.

38

Little Rui

...

39

Little Rui

No...

40

Rui's Father

No?

41

Little Rui

I want to thank Santa.
I want to see him myself.

42

Little Rui

Because he's really nice and always brings me presents every year...

43

Rui's Mother & Father

...

44

Rui's Father

I see...
If you're willing to say that, then there's probably no way for us to stop you.

45

Rui's Mother

Yes, then...

46

Rui's Mother

Alright, Rui.
You're free to do as you like today.

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47

Little Rui

...!
Thank you. I will meet him.

48

Rui's Father

A-Are you sure?

49

Rui's Mother

Yes, I am.

50

Rui's Mother

Also, Rui, we'd really appreciate it if you told us what sorts of traps you're going to set up.

51

Little Rui

Huh? Sure, but why...?

52

Rui's Mother

That's because... I'd like to know all about your various inventions. I mean, the devices you just showed us were so impressive!

53

Rui's Mother

Right, dear?

54

Rui's Father

...!!
Yes, absolutely!

55

Rui's Father

I was startled by how much thought you'd put into how they function and operate!

56

Little Rui

Really?

57

Rui's Father

Really! I'd like to use them for reference, so would you mind telling me more?

58

Little Rui

Sure.
Then, I'll start with the one by the entrance.

59

Rui's Father

Thank you.
Don't spare any details...!

Christmas Day

Morning

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60

Little Rui

Mhm...

61

Little Rui

H-Huh...? It's morning already...?!
But why...?

62

Little Rui

Does this mean Santa didn't make it...?

63

Little Rui

Oh...

64

Little Rui

There's something on my desk. Could it be...?

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65

Little Rui

It's a present.
Santa was here...!

66

Little Rui

But why didn't I wake up?
All of my devices should be working properly...

67

Little Rui

Huh? There's a letter next to my present...

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68

Little Rui

“Your parents told me that you wished to thank me. I promise to treasure the toys you've given me.”

69

Little Rui

Oh...
He took the toys I made for him.

70

Little Rui

I didn't get to thank him in person, but he seems to understand what I was trying to do.

71

Rui

And that experience ended up becoming the inspiration for this show.

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72

Toya

That really happened...?

73

Rui

Yes, and I even overheard some of my classmates talking about how they also failed to capture Santa Claus. That became the core concept of this story.

74

Akito

I see. That's how you landed on the idea of the strongest Santas overcoming a series of trials...

75

Rui

Hehe.
It just goes to show that all the things you experience in life lead to shows...

76

Nene

Is this your way of tying your story up in a neat, little bow?

77

Nene

Also, are you sure you wanna keep that thing running...?

78

Tsukasa

Hm? Keep what thing running...?

79

Tsukasa

Whooaaa!!!
Wh-Where did this mountain of snowballs come from...?!

80

Rui

Ah, we forgot to switch off the snowball maker. We have quite a few snowballs on our hands now as a result.

81

An

Wh-What do we do with all these...?!

82

Rui

Hmm... Well...

83

Rui

I suppose there's only one thing we can do with a mountain of snowballs such as this...

84

Emu

Wait, do you mean...?!

85

Rui

Yes. We should have a fun and exciting snowball fight.

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86

Emu

Woohoo! We're gonna have a snowball fight♪

87

Tsukasa

Yes, that's a nice idea.
On top of it allowing us to get rid of these snowballs, we'll also get a chance to warm up for the show! Two birds with one stone!

88

Tsukasa

So, let's get started, shall we?!

89

Akito

Wait, no one said that...

90

Tsukasa

*Roar*
Think fast!

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91

Akito

Huh?!

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92

An

Haha! Your hair's gone all white, Akito.
You're not gonna just let him get away with this, are you...?

93

Akito

Not a chance...
Huddle up, you guys.

94

Akito

We're going to cover them all in snow.

Several dozen minutes later

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95

Tsukasa

Huff... Huff...

96

Tsukasa

Those four are tough...!
To think that my pegasus snowballs weren't enough to defeat them...

97

Nene

Yeah, those are just regular snowballs...

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98

Akito

Grr... It's so hard to hit Otori. She keeps jumping around...!

99

An

Same with Tenma. He keeps dodging everything at the last second...!

Kohane

I-I'll act as a decoy...!
While their attention's focused on me, you guys try to hit Emu and the others...!

Toya

We can't ask you to do that, Azusawa...
I'll go instead and...!

Emu

Hehe. You two left yourselves wide open☆

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Kohane & Toya

Whoa!

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Tsukasa

Nice one, Emu!

Rui

(Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.)

Rui

(And the machine appears to be working just fine, so I'll move on to check the rest of the equipment after a few more—)

???

Oh, Mr. Kamishiro, there you are!

Rui

Hm?

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Rui

You're a part of the show staff, yes...?
Is something the matter? You seem quite alarmed...

Staff Member

I'm sorry, but we have a bit of an emergency...!

Rui

An emergency?

Staff Member

Yes, the thing is...

Staff Member

Some of the equipment for the show might not arrive on time...!

Rui

What...?

Next Chapter: For the Best Show