Christmas's Beauty Within a Beast

14: The Hunter and Hunted

Smeerensburg overtime has become less of the docile war zone that Janna entered in. Soon enough, everyone has been shoveling up snow and cooking cherry pies, even if they're on supposed "rival sides". The wide grins on children become more apparent as every alley is now their play area. Teddy bears, train sets, wind-up figurines, and more have made a change for this sullen town.

If there is one thing that has not changed, it is Janna's quest for vengeance. No toy will ever bring her beloved twin brother back. That fact has put her grounded to reality. Everywhere Janna goes, her brother will always plague her mind. She is stuck with the horror of never seeing Jesper conquer the rough points of adulthood. Never again will she see him smile...

Have a nice year.... without me.

Those words keep on repeating and repeating like a broken record. The only way to make this all right, it seems, is to kill the monster who started it all.

At least she has Rose and Charles to keep her accompanied. If it weren't for them, she probably would have lost her sanity right there and then.

Charles: So yetis... Are they usually that bulky?

Rose is showing Charles some of her documents of every monster she has investigated. Apparently, this isn't her first rodeo with beasts such as the one that killed Jesper. She has slain many more and Janna plans to use that to her advantage. Either that or just learn some tricks from Rose so she can kill the beast herself. If anyone is going to avenge Jesper, it has to be Janna.

Rose: Most are. They may be strong and muscled, but they're honestly pretty stupid. It's easy to outsmart one and then decapitate it.

Janna: Where do yetis live?

Rose: Usually, snowy places such as this. Though they usually like to be remote, so it seems confusing to me that one will just walk up here and kill Jesper...

Charles: Perhaps he was stepping foot onto his territory, chased him here, and tried to battle it using this dagger? (Pulls up the bloody dagger Jesper left behind)

Janna: Jesper... I never thought he would try to battle a beast such as that...

Charles: Does yeti blood look like human blood at all?

Rose: Why do you ask?

Charles: I'm looking at this now and the blood definitely resembles that of a human.

Rose: Yeti blood is usually a red paler than one of human blood...

Janna: No matter who's blood this is, my brother is dead. I have tried to play detective, but no more. I'm getting tired of this. No matter where this beast is, we have to find it and slay it!

Charles: O-Of course! So... they like places more remote?

Janna: (realizes) What about the forest?

Rose: Only one man I know lives there... A really old man named Klaus... He's surprisingly pretty built for his age.

Charles: Klaus? You mean that one guy that every kid loves? Bringer of toys or something like that?

Janna: We should interrogate him immediately.

As they venture on, Charles spots some kids bringing pencils and paper. Confused, he decided there is no harm in asking them.

Charles: Hey, kids. Uhh... Where are you going?

Edith: We're going to school! It's our first day!

Now Charles is definitely questioning that response. Last time he recalled, there are no schools in Smeerensburg. The Krum and Ellingboe leader deems education to be "a waste for future soldiers". Charles thinks their reasoning is absolute bullshit, but he isn't going to question two adults who are always armed with a rifle.

Charles: Where to...? (Harry points at the building) The place that sells fish?

Harry: The postman told us that the person who resides here would love to work for children.

Edith: And we want to be able to write and read letters from Klaus.

Charles: (nods his head) This Klaus fellow... He seems like a very special guy.

Edith: He sure is! He's like, what does Dorothy call it... a prophet!

Charles: Are you aware that he lives in the forest? Probably where that horrible monster is?

Harry: ..... Louis told us not to tell anyone, so we can't say.

Rose: But you can trust us. We're here to make sure this town is safe from the beast.

Harry: That's not exactly the case...

Edith: Yeah. We can't give you the surprise!

Janna: You can, and you're going to, because this Klaus guy might just be the monster's next supper if you don't speak up and say where this beast is!

Rose: Janna, calm down. They're only kids.

Edith: He will never eat Klaus! He has a crush on him!

Edith covers her mouth, realizing what she just said.

Janna: .... What the hell are you talking about?

Harry: Edith! Now the surprise is ruined!

Charles: What surprise?

Harry: We can't tell you! It's a surprise!

Charles: But if it's already ruined, then there's no harm in spilling the beans.

Edith: .... (sighs) The yeti has a crush on Klaus. So in the celebration the whole town is planning for a peace offering, we kids were planning on getting them married.... It's tomorrow...

Rose: That is.... Weird. But sorta cute....

Janna: That sounds perfect. Invite them over.

Edith: Please don't tell anyone I told you!

Janna: Lips are sealed, kid. Now go back to school.

Edith and Harry run off to do just that. Janna, Rose, and Charles were made unaware of this celebration that is planned, making it clear that they are, in fact, outsiders. But now that they know, Janna grins. It is oh so perfect indeed.

Rose: Umm... Janna? Isn't the beast coming to Smeerensburg a bad thing? Catastrophic even?

Charles: Yeah, what if it hurts someone? What if it kills someone again? What if-

Janna: It's the perfect opportunity... We are going to expose that wretched thing and have its head on display at the celebration. The word would go around and Jesper will have his name be heard... I promise that...

And with that, Janna writes a letter to the beast and Klaus, inviting them along for the celebration. She is lucky Pierre already knows where Klaus lives due to the countless letters the children send.

Tomorrow night will be a night everyone is going to remember.

Author Note: Be prepared, folks. These next few chapters are going to be the drops of this roller coaster.