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Upon entering the lodge’s feast hall, Connie and Gaia were met with the largest spread of food they had ever seen. However, before the feast could start, there was the White Elephant gift exchange.

[color=DarkOrchid]“T-Thank you,”[/color] Connie said with a smile as Ruby handed her and Gaia their presents. [color=DarkOrchid]“G-Gosh Mia! I-I’m s-so excited to s-see what we g-got!”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]“Let’s find out,”[/color] Gaia suggested, while carefully opening her own present. Inside was a single slip of paper. 

[color=SpringGreen]“[b]My gift for you is a way to always get out of danger.[/b]”[/color] 

With that, the slip of enchanted paper transformed into a large red button, similar to the “Easy Button” that was popular a few years back. There was also a short set of instructions. [color=SpringGreen]“Hmm…”[/color] the verdant girl mused as she read them over. [color=SpringGreen]“This could certainly prove to be very useful, although I wonder if it would also bring along someone I was physically touching? What did you get, Connie?”[/color] she asked her friend, who was currently staring at her present with a look of shocked amazement. 

[color=DarkOrchid]“I-It’s an u-upgrade to m-my Interdimensional Home!”[/color] she replied, giving Gaia an overjoyed smile. [color=DarkOrchid]“I-It t-turns it i-into an entire h-house! A-And t-that’s not even t-the b-best part!”[/color] she gushed. [color=DarkOrchid]“I-It d-doesn’t have to be c-creepy anymore! I-I can m-make it as n-nice as I w-want!”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]“That’s wonderful, Connie!”[/color] Gaia said as she gave her friend a big hug. [color=SpringGreen]“It would appear you received the perfect present.”[/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]“I-I really did!”[/color] Connie agreed with an enthusiastic nod. [color=DarkOrchid]“A-And t-thanks to M-Miss Kayli, I h-have t-two wonderful n-new homes!”[/color]

It was around then that Dan announced the winners of the snowman building and ice sculpting contests, after which he prepared to give a special present to Mariette. However, before he could do so, a bespectacled girl, who looked somewhat familiar to Connie, began shouting about Horror Relics and taking the present into Beacon jurisdiction. It was all very confusing to Connie, and more than a little upsetting. This was supposed to be a fun party where everyone could enjoy themselves, and here this girl was, calling Dan a demon! And that was only the beginning. The next thing she knew, Lily had stepped forward to challenge the bespectacled girl to a game of something called Keijo. The Ascendancy girl had accepted, with the condition that if she won, she would not only take possession of the “Black Mirror”, but Dan’s dimension as well! Connie gave a horrified gasp, and even Gaia was taken aback. While the verdant girl agreed that the Mirror was dangerous, and indeed was even planning to speak with Mariette about a similar portal she and Shane had discovered in a cavern beneath Penrose, erasing Dan’s dimension from existence was going much too far. Still, there was little she could do, as even now, events continued to accelerate, with Dina taking Lily’s place in the challenge and Oros challenging the winner of [i]that[/i] match.

[color=SpringGreen][i]She always has to be the center of attention, doesn’t she?[/i][/color] Gaia thought to herself, a scowl marring her normally serene visage. [color=SpringGreen][i]And is that… [b]clown[/b] makeup she’s wearing? Can’t say it doesn’t suit her…[/i][/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]“M-Mia…”[/color] Connie asked, while tightly hugging her present with trembling hands. [color=DarkOrchid]“C-Can’t w-we d-do a-anything to h-help…?”[/color]

The sound of her friend’s concerned voice brought Gaia out of her musings, and, turning to Connie, she placed a comforting hand on the timid girl’s shoulder. [color=SpringGreen]“I do not believe there is anything we can do at the moment, little sister,”[/color] the verdant girl explained. [color=SpringGreen]“Aside from enjoying this wonderful dinner our host has prepared,”[/color] she added with a smile.

[color=DarkOrchid]“B-But M-Mia…”[/color] Connie began to protest, before an embrace from Gaia forced her to relent with a resigned sigh. 

[color=SpringGreen]“Be at peace, little sister,”[/color] Gaia whispered. [color=SpringGreen]“You heard Empress Denisova. This is [i]her[/i] battle to fight. Let us both be strong and have faith in her,”[/color] she added, gently wiping a tear from Connie’s cheek and bringing the beginnings of a smile back to her face. [color=SpringGreen]“Let us have faith in [i]all[/i] our friends.”[/color]