A Clause Journey (The Santa Clause story) 🎅🏻

chapter 5= Up to something?

Bernard's POV

I didn't go to the kitchen with y/n as I thought I'd check on the elves in the naughty and nice centre.
Jack was there. I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"Hey, guys. How you doin'? Listen, come here. I got some exciting news. I gonna put a spring in your elfin step! Bernard said he really wants you to take a break. So, there's a delicious vat of steaming hot cocoa in the lounge with your little names on it!" I heard Jack say. That lying son of a...
He took a sip of the cocoa and winced in delight, "Mmmm. Oh, it's a tantalising blend of full, rich cocoa.
With just a suggestion of vanilla!" Jack said.
I widened my eyes and furrowed my eyebrows in anger.
"Get in there and try some, won't you?" Jack said. He hurried the elves along, and I came up to him.
"What's going on here?" I asked, choking back rage.
"Oh, hey, Bernard! How's things?" Jack snickered.
"Don't play innocent here, Jack! Did I say they could go on a cocoa break?" I asked.
"Yes... you did!" Jack whispered. Then, he blew his icy breath into my face, and I suddenly got the thought that... I did say they could go on a break.
"....Yes! I suppose I did! Sorry, Jack!"
"It's okay! Run along!" He said. I turned to walk away until I looked back and saw Jack turn his back to the control panel in the naughty and nice centre to hide something.
He twisted a switch that sped the machine up. It accelerated until the naughty and nice lists came shooting out at a tremendous speed. I ran to find y/n. And quick!
I, then, saw Jack again talking to the mechanical elves.
"A sumptuous blend of gold Coast and Spanish cocoas. Sweet to the palette, but, oh, so warm to the tummy. With a trickle of cinnamon and orange essence. Enough to drive the taste buds... mad!" Jack spoke in an alluring whisper.
The elves exchanged intrigued looks until they ran off to get that cocoa. Jack smiled. He looked around to see if anyone was watching.... I was. He then blew his icy breath into the machine and froze the cogs to put us behind.
I needed to find y/n... right away!

Y/n's POV

"Look at this kitchen!" Sylvia exclaimed as we all strode into the massive kitchen.
"Look at the size of that oven. You could cook a woolly mammoth in there!" Bud said, pointing to the centre oven.
"Come on down!" My uncle said.
"Let's have something to eat!" I said, leading them down.
"Boy, you got some operation here!" Bud said.
"You've been holding out on us. Why the secrecy?" Bud asked.
"Secrets? There's no secrets? Why would we have secrets? Why would we have secrets? We're family-!" My uncle said. Jack came up to us... and went all friendly.
"Heavens sake's, you must be the in-laws!" Jack said, shaking Sylvia's hand.
"So very pleased to meet you!" Jack said, planting a kiss on Sylvia's hand.
I cringed.
"Hi." Jack said, turning to Bud.
"Uh, Bud, Sylvia. This is...." My uncle began.
"Jack Frost!" Jack interrupted.
"No, not Jack Frost. He's, uhh... playing Jack Frost in our... "Yippee, its Canada!" Parade!" I chimed in before it could get weird.
"Oh, yes, of course, to bring frosty cheer to the workers. I'm kind of like the team mascot, eh? Rah Rah!" Jack said. I mentally face-palmed.
Bernard came rushing up to me, worry spreading across his face.
"B, what's wrong?" I said.
"Y/n... you have to-" Bernard stopped when he saw Jack.
"Hello, Bernard!" Jack said. He lowered his head and turned away.
"I'll tell you later!" Bernard said. I wanted to chase after him, but Bud caught my attention.
"Who does your hair?" He asked Jack.
"You like it? It's..... I freeze-dry it!" Jack said.
I buzzing went off in the kitchen.
"Sir, can I borrow you for a second?" Curtis said.
My uncle went up to him, and he shook his head in an apologetic way and through his hands up in surrender.
He came back to us and said,
"We have a small paperwork problem!" My uncle said. I went with them to the naughty and nice centre to absolute chaos!
Lists were flying everywhere, elves trying to catch teddy bears flying off of the top balcony, and the toys being broken and chucked everywhere. We all ran to the naughty and nice centre and I saw an Elf wrapped in the list.
"What's going on? What's going on?" My uncle repeated.
"I don't know, sir! We're still trying to assess here!" Curtis said.
"Where's Bernard?" I asked.
"I don't know!" Curtis said.
"Uhhhh!" My uncle said.
"Somebody get me outta here!" The girl elf said, still wrapped in the list.
"We got a cascade failure in the motherboard!" I yelled.
"What?!?" Curtis said.
"You need to get a rerouter. You need a solder gun, and a...." My uncle listed.
"I can't see! I can't see!" The girl elf yelled.
"You need some scissors here!" I yelled.
"I'm off to help electrics!" My uncle said, heading over to where electrics were.
"Y/n? Snow bunny?" I heard a voice from under the lists.
I looked in and Bernard was tied up in the list, unable to move.
"Oh my garland!" I yelled, running over to Bernard and unwrapping him.
"What happened here?" I asked.
"We don't know!" He replied. He didn't seem so sure about that answer. We both ran over to my uncle who was helping with electrics.

We stopped and headed to the kitchen where Bud had just put out a fire and Lucy, Laura, and Niel were just introduced to Carol's parents.
"Hey. We're back! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" My uncle said, laying his eyes on the extinguisher mess that had been left on the oven.
"What in the hollybush happened?" I said.
"Nothing, except you didn't tell the in-laws your ex-wife is spending Christmas with you!" Jack said, holding a mop.
"More secrets." Bud said, nodding.
Then, BOOM! The cocoa machine shot out hot cocoa in litres. The elves ran around the kitchen, screaming.
Jack gasped. My uncle shielded us from the machine.
"Nothing works in this joint!" Bud said, watching the cocoa beans spray out everywhere.
"If you think this is something, you should see the delivery room!" Jack yelled, making sure his voice was heard.
"Is there a problem? I wanna see the delivery room." Bud said, pushing through the crowd.
"What?" Sylvia asked, looking at Jack, who had an unsure grin plastered to his lips.

-time skip-
5 minutes later. In the delivery room...

"Heavy load! Coming through!" An Elf yelled, pushing past us.
"Watch your backs, people! Watch your backs!" I said, pulling aside Carol  and Sylvia.
"Set it down there!" My uncle instructed as the elf set the heavy load down.
"This is the delivery room? This is not a delivery room!" Bud said, gesturing to the massive hole in the ceiling.
"I should go get Bernard!" I said, tapping my snowglobe.
Then, Bernard showed up almost a minute later.
"Hey, Snow bunny! What's-?" Bernard was cut off by shock as he saw the delivery room.
"What happened here?" He asked.
"We're working on that!" I said, linking our arms.
"This is a disaster area. What's going on here?" Bud asked.
"We're remodelling. It's gonna be big, huge, and comfortable." My uncle explained.
"This is a broom closet. How come the oven in the kitchen is bigger than the  delivery room?" Bud said.
"This isn't a broom closet. Watch your back again!" Bernard said as another Elf came behind us.
"There we go. This is the hospital for the entire toy factory!" I stated.
"How about that, Syl? Our grandchild is being born in a broom closet of a Canadian toy factory!" Bud said.
Then he cupped Carol's cheeks with his hands and said, "Sweetheart, you can be honest with us. Don't be afraid. Are you being held here against your will?" Oh, now he's just being dramatic, I thought to myself.
"Dad!" Carol said, rubbing Bud's arm.
"Is there even a doctor here?" Sylvia asked.
"Yes, there's a doctor.." My uncle strayed when Dr. Hismus came into the delivery room all cheery.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Dr. Hismus! Pleasure to meet you, eh?" He chuckled with a wheeze and turned all jolly and this chaos situation.
"This is the doctor?" Sylvia asked.
"Yes! Very good doctor!" Bernard advised.
"I see!" Sylvia said.
"Watch your backs! Thank you! Excuse me!" Another Elf yelled, breaking through the crowd.
"Watch out!" I said.
"What are we supposed to do with the wood in here. Do we need this wood in here now?" I questioned the elves who brought piles and piles of wood in the, already, cramped delivery room.
"I'm taking over this project!" Bud exclaimed.
"No, no, no! Don't be silly. Just let the tiny Canadians do it!" Sylvia said.
"Hey!" Bernard said, kind of offended.
"Somebody get me an apron and a hammer!" Bud called to the elves.
"Get in apron and a hammer!" My uncle called.
Then, the lights went out, leaving us and the elves in darkness.
The elves screamed.
"What's happening?" Sylvia asked.
"Ouch! Bernard, you stepped on my foot!" I yelled.
"Sorry!" He replied.
Then, Curtis' voice came in on the intercom.
"EMERGENCY IN THE TOY FACTORY! EMERGENCY!" His voice announced.
"Uggghhhh!" Bernard groaned in annoyance.
"Me, y/n, and Bernard will be back in..... Two minutes." My uncle said, still in darkness.
Then, the lights came back, and Bud was fully dressed in an apron, goggles, and had a hammer in his hand.
"Okay, let's get to work!" Bud exclaimed.