Poppy Playtime: First Time Buy

PJ Pugapillar

*Insert VHS tape*

*VHS tape plays*

December has arrived, and there's only 24 days until Christmas comes around. The Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are over, and the Playtime Co. gift shop has been decorated with Christmas stuff. Outside the snow has yet to fall. However, that's off topic here. Inside the Playtime Co. gift shop the staff had just finished decorating the gift shop with Christmas stuff and left the shop. The door closes and locks. The decorations are a carpet at the entrance with Santa riding his sleigh with his reindeer. Next to the checkout is a Christmas tree filled with ornaments and a star on top. There are ornament garments on the two walls across each other close to two aisles. The aisle where the remaining mascot toys are is still in the middle. The remaining mascot toys this time are Poppy Playtime, the Long Legs Family, PJ Pugapillar, Bron the Dinosaur, and Boogie Bot. A majority of the mascot toys were already purchased. Last time it was Cat Bee. Noticing too much tension among the toys — including his parents — Baby Long Legs decided to find a distraction for them. He turned to the Christmas tree next to the checkout and smiled. This could be a perfect idea. Baby Long Legs turned to the toys glaring at each other. Well at least Mommy Long Legs and Daddy Long Legs aren't glaring at each other. That's good news for their son at least. Baby Long Legs let out a loud happy shriek; just as loud as he could. That got everyone's attention. They turned to Baby's box.
"Hey kiddo. You seem chipper somehow." Daddy acknowledged.
"Now what's made you so giddy?" Mommy asked.
Baby Long Legs pointed at the Christmas tree and the toys looked at it.
"Ooh! That's a nice tree." PJ Pugapillar exclaimed.
"And it looks pretty too." Poppy chimed in.
"If I'm correct about this," Boogie Bot spoke up. "then Baby Long Legs is providing a distraction from this chaos."
Everyone turns to Boogie Bot next. Boogie Bot sighed in defeat. He had expected a toy tell him to shut up, but instead something else came out.
"I think you're right about this one."
"Huh?"
"Yeah," the speaker Mommy Long Legs said. "I think Baby is trying to find some light in this mess."
"After all," Poppy spoke next. "if there's no escape from these boxes, it's important to find something good here."
"In this case," PJ Pugapillar said next. "it was a nicely decorated tree."
"I believe that's what humans call a Christmas tree." Boogie Bot pointed out.
"So that's what it is?" PJ Pugapillar asked.
"I like the sound of that." Daddy said.
The tension has gone away, and the mascot toys spent the time they have before things go crazy talking about Christmas trees and admiring the tree. Baby Long Legs smiled in victory. His mission to get rid of the tension was successful.
Although he wouldn't be sure how long that will last. It's best to enjoy the time anyways.
Weeks passed by, and the gift shop was busy again. More busier than usual in fact. There are 13 days left until Christmas comes. On the left aisle next to the mascot toys parents are buying limited edition Christmas toys for their kids when Christmas Day comes. Even some children inside were talking about Secret Santa gifts. The toys turn to Boogie Bot for insight on this Secret Santa.
"Hey Boogie Bot?" Poppy asked. "What do you make of this whole 'Secret Santa' business?"
"Secret Santas are a Christmas tradition where humans are randomly assigned a person to whom they give a gift." Boogie Bot explained. "Basically that person that's assigned is not to be revealed until I'm guessing Christmas Day or something."
"Interesting..." Daddy mused. "And..."
"And...what?" Boogie Bot asked.
"Uhh, nothing. It's nothing." Daddy said nervously.
"I think I know what you were going to ask there Daddy." PJ Pugapillar said. "You wanted an example. See for yourself basically."
"I...uhh..." Daddy started sweating.
"Honey, you don't have to hide this fact from us." Mommy Long Legs sighed. "You wanted to see what would happen, would you?"
Daddy sighed as well. "Alright fine. Yes, I wanted to know how this Secret Santa thing works. Happy?" Daddy admits.
"We're not happy with this scenario," Bron answered. "but we do appreciate the honesty."
As if on cue, an 8 year old redhead girl came to the aisle with her father, who has black hair and a stubble on his face. He wore what appeared to be business clothes. The toys returned to their positions.
"So sweetie," the father said to his child. "what are you planning on getting your friend as a Secret Santa gift?"
Secret Santa? Is that why those two humans are here? One of them is going to be a Secret Santa gift for another child?
"Well she loved the mascot toys, so I'm thinking maybe..." she answered before she trailed off; moving her finger to each toy. She gasped and her eyes widened as she stopped and pointed at PJ Pugapillar. "Ooh, let's get her that one!"
PJ Pugapillar gulped quietly.
"Are you sure you want to buy this one?" the father asked. "Remember, we are only supposed to buy her one toy for Secret Santa."
"I know." the child groaned. "I'm sure she would like this adorable dog...caterpillar...whatever it is plushie."
'Pugapillar!' PJ Pugapillar thought annoyed. 'I'm a pugapillar!'
"Well then in any case," the father continued. "alright. We'll get her that."
The other remaining mascot toys nearly gasped again. PJ Pugapillar is taken by another child like Huggy Wuggy.
The child took PJ Pugapillar and followed her father. With the purchase complete and PJ Pugapillar gone, only six mascot toys are left in the gift shop. What they won't know for next time is that more than one toy will be taken before Christmas Day. Would any of the toys want to think that? No; they would not, but they shuddered at the thought anyway. They hoped that scenario where more than one toy is going next will never happen.

*VHS tape ends*