Author's Note: This story is a sequel to Yule Spirit and the Blue Elves  ( Yule Spirit and the Blue Elves. ). That story, in turn, was suggested by a cartoon in my collection A Christmas Surprise ( A Christmas Surprise ) done for a Christmas in the last century. A sidelight on Yule Spirit and the Blue Elves appeared in last year's Yule Eve at Morganna's. (Yule Eve at Morganna's. Part 1. )

WARNING: This work contains graphic violence, nudity, non-consensual, sexual scenes, and much low, smutty. sophomoric, attempted humor. It is intended for, and should only be read, by mature adults, over the age of twenty-one years.
 
 

'Twas the morning of the eve, of another yuletide, but in a hut in the great, northern forest, two small figures were far from festive; in fact they were exceedingly glum.

"Geez Picks, I can't believe we're broke again! We spent that whole bag o'gold, old Scrooge paid us fer Yule Spirit, in just one year!" Prunella, the evil Blue Elf thief, kidnapper and panderer, observed to her equally wicked sister, Pickelina.

"Well, yer the one who wanted t'go t'Vegas, an' we dropped a bundle there!"

"Yeah, but it sure was fun tho'!"

"Yeah, fun for YOU! You got laid by a rock star, an' alls I got was his fat, sweaty agent, like I was the ten percent rake off!"

"Aww geez, Picks, the agent guy was crazy about ya! He even wanted t'marry ya! That friggin' rock star, whatchamacallit, couldn't even 'member my name, next morning!"

"That agent guy was freaky, a real nut case! He had a thing fer elf ears! Ya wouldn't believe what he wanted me t'do with my ears! That ain't important now, tho'! We gotta think o'somethin' Pruny! What are we gonna do this year, fer bread?"

"Well, Old Scrooge offered big bucks fer the Christmas Angel!"

"Oh sure! We're gonna catch an angel what's got Celestial Powers! Yeah, right! Sure we are!"

"Well I heard if ya can pull 'er halo off, an angel loses 'er powers!"

"Aw geez, Pruny! That's like yer idea that we could catch birds sprinklin' salt on their tails! The only trouble was, we could never get close enuff, t'put salt on their tails! How d'ya think we're gonna pull an angel's halo off?"

"I bet we could!"

"Yeah, an if ya miss, ya got a real bitchy angel on yer hands! I got another idea! Santa's really loaded! I was thinkin' o'away t'get some o'his loot outa' him!"

"Yeah, I'm listenin', how?"

"Well I was figurin', maybe we snatch Mrs. Clause and hold 'er fer ransom! Say a big, fat gold ransom!"

"Hmm! Maybe ya got sumpen there, Picks! But how we gonna put the snatch on 'er? Security around the Pole is pretty tight since we lifted all them toys last year!"

"That's the beauty part o'it! We get the old bag t'come t'us! She always delivers Mince Pies, 'n' all that Christmas goodie stuff, t'shutins every year, an' she always passes right by here reg'ler as clock work every Christmas Eve! We just flag 'er down, an' tell 'er we got a sick, old granny what lives with us! How's 'at?"

"Hmm! Yeah, maybe it's just crazy enuff t'work! I gotta hand it t'ya Picks!"

"I figure Ol' Clausee'll be goin by in 'bout twenty minutes!"

"We best get movin then, Picks! Won't she know it's us, tho'?"

"Hee, hee! Nope! See, first, I'm gonna put on that red, cape thing with the hood, we took offa' that blonde airhead bimbo, what used t'prance thru' the woods bringing goodies t'her old granny! Fact, that's what gimme the idea in the first place!"

"I ain't seen her 'round lately! Somebody said she run off t'the city with a wolf!"

"Yeah she was always an easy slut, an' dummer'n a dead mackerel!"

Flagged down by a tiny, girlish figure in a red cape, with a hood that concealed elfin ears and blue hair, the motherly Mrs. Clause, whose spectacles were a little misty from the cold air, didn't recognize the notorious Pickelina, and listened sympathetically, while the disguised elf concluded her artfully pathetic tale.

"Yeah Ma'am! It ain't easy fer me an my sister, takin' care o'poor ol' Granny at Christmas!"

"Oh you poor dears! Of course, I'll come visit your Granny! This will be my first stop of the morning!"

Even when Pickelina took off the red hooded cape, inside the hut, Mrs. Clause, her spectacles still steamy, didn't at first recognize the elves.

"Where is your Granny, Dear?"

"The only sick, old granny 'round here, is gonna be you, if ya don't hand over them baskets o'Xmas goodies, an' siddown there, while we tie ya up!" Prunella snarled, in her most intimidating voice.

Not at all intimidated, Mrs. Clause adjusted her spectacles, and took a closer look. "Oh My Goodness, I recognize you now! You're those pesky, blue elves, Pickelina and Prunella! Oh, MY stars! Won't the Mounties be pleased when I bring you two in to the Station! They have at least six warrants outstanding for you little devils!"

The venerable Mrs. Clause threw aside her hampers, and flung off her coat, revealing the shapely, muscular physique that would have done a lady blacksmith proud. In fact, Holly Clause often helped with the shooing of the reindeer for Santa's annual, world tour. She was clearly not a lady to be trifled with. Seeing Prunella about to spring at her, she agilely launched a high kick, at the small elf. Prunella ducked, barely in time, but lost her hat to a large red boot.

The surprised elves were in for a real fight! Holly Clause, a noted pugilist before her marriage to Santa, glared challengingly at the elfin duo, her ham sized fists cocked threateningly.

After their resounding victory over the reputedly invincible Superheroine, Yule Spirit, last Christmas, Prunella and Pickelina weren't about to back away from a fight, especially, when there was money at stake. With another year of Martial Arts lessons under their belts, they resolutely faced the formidable Mrs. Clause. As always, the twin elves worked perfectly together as a single unit with four arms and four feet.

When Holly threw her mighty fist at the dodging weaving, hard to hit, Pickelina, Prunella nailed her below the belt with a penetrating right hook. Holly grunted in pain, as her own punch whistled harmlessly over Pickelina's head, doing no more damage, than to hurl another elfin hat to the floor.

As Mrs. Clause doubled over in pain, Pickelina seized her arm, and held her steady, while Prunella flew at her feet first. Prunella's foot landed with a loud crunch right on the chin.

Prunella deftly landed on her feet, and grabbed Holly's other arm. Holly tried to kick her away, but Prunella dodged adroitly. Instead, Holly took a really hard kick, from Pickelina, which like Prunella's punch, landed well below the belt.

It's likely that the formidable Mrs. Clause could have easily demolished either elf alone, but against both of them, she found herself at a distinct disadvantage.

Unfortunately, despite her heroic physical endowments, and her fighting Christmas Spirit, in taking on the vicious elfin duo, Holly Clause had bitten off more Christmas goose than she could chew.

"We gotta get some pitchoors o'her t'send Santa, t'prove we got her fer sure!" Pickelina told her sister.

"Yeah, but it'd be better if we stripped 'er first! That'll give the old goat sumpun t'think 'bout, seein' his old lady buck naked!"

"Aww geez d'we have ta? I think I'm gonna be sick!" Pickelina replied with a distasteful grimace.

"Yeah, Picks! We gotta do this thing right! 'Member, this was yer idea!"

"Yeah, I suppose!" Pickelina reluctantly agreed.

The diabolical duo swiftly stripped the half unconscious, moaning Holly Clause of her Christmas finery. As they worked, Pickelina ruefully admitted. "Ya know Pruny, I gotta admit! The old broad don't look half bad once ya get her down t'basics!"

"Yeah! I see what ya mean, Picks! Should we?"

"Sure why not, but get 'er tied up first and take them pitchoors!"

Once the pictures were taken with their new digital camera, and e-mailed to Santa with a ransom note, the evil duo were free for more pleasurable activities.

As has so often been pointed out in learned tomes, female Blue Elves are much given to Sapphic indulgence, even if the objects of their erotic interest are not so inclined. Indeed, for a Blue Elf, a spirited resistance adds libidinal spice to her erotic enjoyment. As might be predicted, Mrs. Clause, that most wholesome and high-minded paragon of dignified matronhood, was sure to offer just such a spirited resistance, even with her formidable arms tied above her head. Already chagrined by her defeat, Mrs. Clause was in no mood to be trifled with. When Pickelina approached her with lascivious intent, the straitlaced Grand Dame of Christmas did her best to kick the lustful elf in a spot that would be sure to cool her lecherous ardor.

"Geez! We shoulda got them boots offa her, first, I guess!" Prunella told her sister.

Seeing that the virtuous, dignified dowager would require a great deal of elfin foreplay, to get into the proper mood, Prunella hurried off into the woods, to replenish the pair's supply of scotch pine switches, so essential to elfin erotic play.

Meanwhile, Santa, already much harried with Christmas preparations, received the e-mail ransom demand for a sizable sum in gold, with instructions to contact no one.

"Darn it! I've told Holly to take security people along when she goes out! This couldn't have come at a worse time, either!"

Since the Christmas Superheroine, Yule Spirit, mysteriously disappeared the previous Christmas, Santa had fallen into the habit of calling upon Ivy, the Christmas Angel for help in emergencies. Disregarding the ransom note's instructions to contact no one, he did so again. In the wink of an eye, Ivy responded to his anxious summons.

"What's the trouble Santa?" The sweet voiced angel asked sympathetically.

"Mrs. Clause has been kidnapped, Ivy!"

The Christmas Angel was shocked and indignant, that anyone would do something so reprehensible, casting a dark cloud over this most joyous season.

"Oh My Goodness, Santa! How terrible! That's disgraceful!  How did it happen? What about her bodyguards?"

 "She went out to visit shut-ins, and ordered her Polar Security bodyguard team to stay home, and browbeat them until she got her own way!  'I can take care of myself!' She told them!"

"OH SANTA, YOU should never have let her go out alone!"

"As though I could have stopped her! She never listens to me! I've told her, and told her, but she thinks she knows it all! Anyway, I was busy in the toy factory when she left, a breakdown on the XCube assembly line! Dratted, pesky, new-fangled electronics! Not that I could have done anything, if I had been there! You know how headstrong, and domineering that woman can be! Why, she made me give up my cigars and brandy, even on Christmas Day, when I can use a little relaxation! And putting Santa Clause on a diet?"

"Oh Santa you know Mrs. Clause is always just thinking of your own good! She's a truly saintly woman! Why I have to scold you myself, sometimes when she's away, especially about those horrid, smutty girlie magazines!" Ivy replied, with, a disapproving sniff.

"That's true enough!" Santa replied, his brow furrowing into a little frown.

"And, you know, before her tragic disappearance, poor Yule Spirit, was always warning you about the dangers of second hand smoke from your cigars, and the evils of alcohol! I must say, I agreed with her!"

"Mmm, yes, I remember!" Santa muttered, his brow furrowing more deeply. "Anyway, Holly has gotten herself into a real pickle, this time! Naturally, she didn't even leave a copy of her itinerary! And those Pole Security dodos of mine can't track the ip address of the ransom note e-mail sender! I don't know what I pay them for?"

"Don't worry, Santa! I'll find her!"

"I'm sure you will, Ivy!"

Using her Celestial Powers, the angel was able to track Mrs. Clause's trail through the woods. In the blink of another eye, her snowy wings carried her to the wicked elfin duo's forest hut. Ivy was shaken to the depths of her angelic soul, by the sight that met her mild blue eye, when she entered the hut. There was the venerable Mrs. Clause, tied up and naked, while a small, blue clad figure molested her in a most sinful  fashion.

Coming back with a large bundle of stout, scotch pine branches, Prunella saw her squealing sister picked up and shaken like a rag doll by the irate Christmas Angel.

"Nobody does 'at t'my sister!" Prunella fumed in silent fury, noiselessly laying down her bundle. "I gotta get that angel bitch's halo off 'er first, tho'!"

On the soundless feet of an expert cat burglar and sneak thief, Prunella crept up behind the Angel, so quietly, that even Ivy's heavenly ears didn't hearken to her larcenous approach.

Standing on tippy-tippy toe, Prunella just managed to get her clever, dexterous thief's fingers on the halo. Then with one quick swipe, the knavish elf tore the Christmas Angel's halo from her adorable, blonde head. With a horrible sinking feeling, Ivy felt her Celestial Powers slip away from her sprightly form. In shock, she dropped the kicking and struggling Pickelina, who dropped lightly to the floor.

"Hee, hee! Toldja', I could!" Prunella crowed triumphantly, as her sister congratulated her.

"You was right, Pruny! Geez, I gotta admit, yer good!"

Even Ivy's snowy wings disappeared with a little 'poof', at the loss of her halo.

"Hey Pruny, shouldn't we a'heard a bell or sumpen, if an angel lost her wings?"

"Nah Pick, that's jest when they get the wings! Course tho', not many o'em is dumb enough t'lose 'em, once 'ey got 'em! This one musta been in the big boob line, when they handed out brains! Hee, hee!"

The angel had laid hands on Pickelina! Elfin esteem had been trifled with, and Prunella knew that this was now an affair of honor, that Pickelina would insist on settling herself. She rushed off to put the precious Halo in the elf's empty lock box, while Pickelina eagerly stalked the earth-bound angel.

Without her Celestial powers, the unfortunate angel knew she might be at a disadvantage, and backed nervously away. Ivy, as yet, had little idea how great was her disadvantage, against the mean spirited, little elf. Pickelina was not only skilled at martial arts, but was known as the dirtiest fighter of all the Blue Elves, a distinction not easily earned, indeed.

A terrible karate kick to her angelic privates lifted poor Ivy a foot in the air, and she collapsed on her knees, cradling her injury gingerly, and sniffling at the horrible pain. Her frightful distress brought pink, angel tears to her eyes.

A vicious slap, across the sniffling angel's sweet face, ended the fight almost before it had begun. Without her Celestial Powers, gentle Ivy was no match for the fierce, spiteful elf, and she pleaded with Pickelina to stop.

Prunella, seeing that her sister was more than capable of handling the situation on her own, picked up the phone, as soon as she put the Angel Halo safely away, but called to her sister as she dialed.

"Good Job Picks! Ya really showed that angle bimbo not to take no liberties with no elf!"

Seeing the angelic tears, the unsympathetic Pickelina called to her sister, as soon as she hung up the phone. "Hey Pruny, she's bawlin' real tears! Pink ones yet! Bring a cup! Ain't angel tears  supposed t'be worth sump'en?"

Prunella, the expert on angel lore, sadly disabused her sister. "Nah Picks that's only storybook stuff! How couldja prove they was real?"

"Maybe Old Scrooge'd buy 'em, ya think?"

"Nah what fer? He ain't gonna' buy no milk, 'cause we're sellin him the cow! I jest been on the phone with'm and he'll take her, fer two bags o'gold! He'll have plenty o'angel tears o'his own! I hear that silly bimbo, Yule Spirit, is always bawlin'! That little dude, Tim, is a real virtuosee with that crutch o'his! He's done things with it, even we ain't thought o'!"

"Yeah I heard 'bout the time he stuck it up 'er butt! POOR Yulie! Ya could almost feel sorry fer the dumb bitch! NOT! Hee, hee! Well, if we can't get nothin fer Ivy's tears, we can at least have some fun with'er! She's a lot cuter'n the old clause dame!"

"Yeah we got time fer some fun 'n games! I didn't promise we'd deliver her 'til this afternoon! We  c'n work both o'them inta our skedjul!"

Prunella paused a moment. "First tho'! Bizness before pleasure'! Ya know Picks sumpin's botherin' me bout the Clause Dame thing! Collectin' ransom's always kinda dicey! An', more important, if we let the old bag go, she knows where we live! We'd have Mounties and Pole Security all over us! Whataya say I give Old Scrooge another call, an' see if he's intrested in Clausee too? She's kinda like a Christmas Spirit ain'tche?"

"Yeah, I guess! 'Course she ain't very spirichool from what I seen!  Ya don't think its kinda dishonest selling her t'someone else, after we sent Clause the ransom note?"

"We aint never been noted fer our honesty, Picks, hee, hee, but anyways, the way I see it, the big, red guy broke the bargain, when he sent that angel bimbo t'get us!"

"Yeah yer right! I didn't think a'that! Okay, we asked the Fat guy fer about a quarter bag o'gold fer 'is old lady! D'ya think that old skinflint, Scrooge, 'id go that high?"

"Ya never know!  'Course on top o'the two bags o'gold fer the angel, anything else is gravy, an no risk! Lemme give 'im a try, anyways?"

Prunella picked up the phone again, while Pickelina kept her eyes on the trembling, snuffling Ivy.

"Jest RELAX, Bimbo! Ya aint goin nowheres!" Pickelina snapped when she saw the whimpering angel eye the door. Ivy cowered away in the corner under the fierce, little elf's intimidating eye.

Just then, Prunella cackled: "OKAY! Okay Scroogy! Ya got yerself a deal!" She slammed the set down in the cradle, and jumped for joy.

"Picks ya aint gonna believe it, but the old loony's willin' t'give us THREE Bags o'gold fer the two a them!"

"Wow, he must be losin' 'is marbles!" Pickelina chortled.

"Yeah, I think so!" Prunella agreed. "We better get started with sum fun, while we got the time!"

"Why dontcha start with yer famous, table cloth trick?"

Cowering in the corner, sobbing in distress, the unfortunate angel was unaware of what the two demonic elves were plotting, until Prunella crept up behind her, again, on those silent elf feet, and this time whipped off her heavenly gown, with one swift jerk.

Pickelina was much intrigued by the angel's lack of a navel.

Prunella the 'angel expert' answered. "I guess its 'cause angels don't get born, they's jest, like, created!"

"How come she's got them big tits then? What good are they t'her?" Pickelina demanded.

Having exhausted her store of angelic lore. Prunella snapped "Geez Picks! How should I know? I ain't one o'them theologican guys! I don't know what her tits is fer! Maybe they's jest there fer decoration, like? So's ya can tell she's a girl angel 'stead'a a boy! She's sure got big ones tho'! That's some rack! I think her tits is as big as the old Clause dame, an' maybe even bigger'n Yulie's was, and she had a real gigantic set a hooters, if ya remember?"

"Yeah! Who could ferget THEM jugs?  Well let's hope we have as much fun with these boobs, as we had with Yulie's! Hee, hee! 'Member, how Yulie bawled when we made her do it?"

"Yeah, I bet this one will too, 'fact, she hasn't stopped bawlin' since ya kicked her in 'er twat!"

"Aw. I bet poor, little Ivy's gonna' be nice!" Pickelina smirked. Then she suddenly grabbed the sniffling angel in a most intimate and shocking manner.

Though nearly overcome by terror, the virtuous Christmas Angel indignantly rejected Pickelina's lewd advances.

Prunella who had been dubious from the outset, nearly doubled over in laughter.

"I toldja the Angel was gonna need convincin'!" Prunella crowed. "We're gonna need that new batch o'scotch pine, I got, fer both these bimbos!"

"You was right, like usual, Ms. Knowitall!" Pickelina sarcastically admitted. "Oh well, convincin' 'em is half the fun anyway! Hee, hee!"

Then clapping her hat back on, Pickelina picked up a stout scotch pine branch, and dragged the badly frightened Ivy over to one of Mrs. Clause's food hampers. Sitting on it, she dragged the snuffling angel across her lap. Nothing so horrifying had ever happened to Ivy, and she tearfully protested, as Pickelina adjusted her shapely body, to just the right angle to display her firmly rounded bottom.

"Hee, hee! I'll get the other one in the right mood!" Prunella snickered. She untied Mrs. Clause's arms, but swiftly retied them behind her back. Prunella, always the careful one, wasn't about to take any chances with the redoubtable Holly Clause. Picking up a pine branch of her own she grabbed the venerable matron around the neck, and bent her over, to bring her more than ample backside into range.

Ivy shrieked at the horrifying pain, as Pickelina swiftly and ruthlessly blistered her adorable, angelic bottom. The heavenly messenger of virtue held out as long as she could, but the scorching  unfamiliar pain soon overwhelmed her, and was her undoing. Ivy sobbingly surrendered herself to sinful, Elfin concupiscence.

Even the formidable Holly Clause didn't hold out very long against stout, old-fashioned scotch pine.

"Well I'm 'fraid its time t'be goin!" Prunella reluctantly observed, after several hours of Yuletide merriment. "I'll get whatsisname, the reindeer, while you put the merchandise inta the slay!"

"Okay Pruny! Gonna' kind o'miss these two sluts tho'!"

"Yep me too, we was just gettin' 'em warmed up nice, but bizness is bizness!" Prunella replied, as she headed to the stable to get the reindeer, Jingle Bell, formerly the faithful, beloved steed of the Christmas Superheroine, Yule Spirit.

Jingle Bell was not at all happy to be led from his warm stable and manger of oats, to pull a sleigh half way across the world and back, just so his new elfin owners could make another financial killing. It was not yet Christmas Day when beasts talk, so Jingle Bell could only express his thoughts with a loud snort.

"Snort!" (I do all the work, and I get hay, and these two chippies get gold, and, the dumb sluts can't even remember my name! They're as bad as that other bimbo, I used to have to carry all around the world, doing good deeds! Heh, heh! I got to admit the two elf sluts taught her a thing or two, though! I was rolling in the snow, laughing, when they blistered HER big, fat behind with scotch pine! That'll teach her better, than to set it on a reindeer!)

"Hey Pruny 'member the expression on that valet parking guy's face at the Vegas Hotel, when we give him a reindeer slay t'park?"

"Yeah! The moron asked fer the keys, an you told him "Jest kiss the reindeer's butt, an' he'll folla' ya anywhere! Hee, hee!"

"Snort!" (Yeah, that was real funny, you imbecilic trollop! The jerk was a shepherd from the Balkans, and took it seriously! Guess none of his sheep ever kicked him in the cojones, before, though! After that, I bet he didn't molest any sheep for a month!)

"It's lucky we kept the reindeer 'stead o'selling him t'the Air Force, tho'! Now we can just fly ta Scrooge's 'stead a' walking all the way, there an' back, pullin' this slay ourselves, like we hadda last year!"

"Yep, old Bingle was a good 'vestment!"

"Snort!" (JINGLE BELL, you Moron!)

Giving vent to her normally dormant artistic inclinations, Pickelina had tastefully arranged the unfortunate Holly Clause and the angelic Ivy in the sleigh.

"Ya got 'em packed in there really artsy-like, Pick! Looks nice!" Prunella observed, appreciatively.

"Yeah, ya think so? Thanks! Hey, Pruny 'member that Xmas movie, where the guy won that lamp shaped like a hoor's leg an' butt? What'a ya think he'd say about this 'rangement?"

"He'd say it's gorgeous Pick! Hee hee! An' their butts is lit up jest like 'is lamp!"

And so, flying through the air in relative comfort this year, thanks to a very grumpy reindeer, the evil duo once more made their way to Old London Town, on Yuletide business.

"This ain't the same place we brought Yulie last year!" Pickelina observed to Prunella who was guiding the sleigh.

"Nah! The old coot said t' deliver 'em t'his house, 'cause he's pretty much retired from bizness, these days!"

Pickelina knocked at the door. "Hey Pruny! This knocker looks like Scroogy's old partner, that Marley guy! 'Member him?"

"Yeah, yeah! Sure it does, Picks! Are you losing it?"

The unhappy serving wench, who opened the door of Scrooge's ramshackle mansion, proved to be a familiar acquaintance of the two elves, though now in sadly reduced circumstances. A miserably unhappy Yule Spirit hung her head in shame, as the founders of the feast of her misfortunes snickered gloatingly, and made snidely indelicate comments about her delicate condition.

Still snickering at the unfortunate Yule Spirit's troubles, the elves swiftly concluded their business with old Ebeneezer, and then brought in the two downcast additions to his Christmas ménage.

"Here they are, Scroogy, the Holly an Ivy o' Christmas!" Pickelina quipped.

"Ah, yes, yes!" Said old Scrooge, rubbing his hands together, gleefully, as though about to count his money. "This completes my set very nicely! Y'know Christmas spirits belong in sets of three; I learned that from a harrowing, personal experience!"

"Sure, Scroogy, if ya say so! Jest give us them bags o'gold, an' yer set'll be complete!" Practical Prunella replied.

As the wicked elves walked back to their sleigh, Pickelina observed with a satisfied grin. "It's gonna' be one heck o' a Christmas fer us, Picks! Three bags o'gold fer them two bimbos, an' we still got that Angel halo put away fer a snowy day! Hee, hee!"

"An' even more important, n'that Picks, we brought Holiday joy and happiness ta an old man! That's what Christmas is all about, I guess? Huh?" Prunella added with an evil smirk.

"Hee, hee! Yer so comical Pruny, an' don't ferget we got them hampers o'goodies old Clausee brought us, too! Didja notice one o'em had a cask o'her famous elderberry brandy in it?"

"Yep! Wonder what Santa'll put in our elf slippers t'nite when 'ee comes? Hee, hee!"

And so Pickelina and Prunella once more traveled happily back to their northern forest home, to celebrate another Elfin Christmas.

In deference to this most joyous of seasons, let us draw a discreet veil over the immediate travails of our three hapless heroines. Perhaps, though, we may prevail upon the most fearsome of old Scrooge's three spectral, Christmas visitors to grant us a glimpse of their cheerless future, as well as its impact on others.