✓ | 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 ♡ Bernard

𝟸𝟶. Toy Santa

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"Okay, everyone, can I get the room for a minute? Thank you," Curtis called out to the Elves within the room he was standing in along with Santa, Bernard and Noelle -- who had left Nicholas with Abby to watch over him while they all handled the current situation. "One minute. Take a cocoa break," Curtis encouraged as the Elves slowly moved out of the room, "Have a nice long break. I want to show Santa and Noelle some improvements on the pantograph." Noelle and Santa shared a look as Bernard stood behind Noelle, his hands resting on her waist as he watched Curtis with narrow eyes.

"Walk with me," Curtis told the father and daughter duo, they followed behind Curtis with Bernard pouting causing Noelle to grab his hand in her own, a smile appearing on his face when she did so. "I've tripled the RAM and reconfigured the circuitry," Curtis explained to Santa as they stood at the control panel of the pantograph. "I see you've externalised the power source to make better use of the electromagnetic energy," Santa replied to Curtis with an impressed smile. "No, it's just there 'cause it looks really cool," Curtis corrected. "Yeah, it does," Santa agreed with a chuckle.

"Wait a minute," Santa spoke up with furrowed brows, "You tripled the RAM, I see where this is going. I am not getting in that machine." Noelle's eyes widened at that, "Whoa! We are trying to resolve this situation not kill my father." Curtis shook his head, "It won't harm him, I promise!" Noelle was anxious about it, she leaned into Bernard who had picked up on her concrrns straight away. "Besides, creating a copy of Santa won't solve our problems. The Elves'll know," Bernard spoke up with his narrowed gaze. "But this would be a special toy!" Curtis defended his plan with determination, he knew Noelle had the power here.

"What do you mean, Curtis?" Noelle asked softly, she'd at least hear out his idea rather than tell him no outright. "I added a fuzzy logic circuit. The duplicate will look and think just like Santa," Curtis answered her before turning to Santa, "When you're with your family, dealing with Charlie, looking for a wife--" Santa spoke up, "The toy will be up here melting in front of my fireplace." Noelle snorted at that comment before clearing her throat and signalling for Curtis to continue. "No, the toy Santa will be dealing with business up here," Curtis told Santa with a smile. "I can deal with business up here," Bernard spoke up with a stern tone.

"Santa, if the Elves find out we've made a switch--" Bernard cut himself off with a groan, "No! No! This machine is not the answer!" Noelle wrapped her arms around Bernard's waist, his arms instantly went around her shoulders and he rested his head on top of her hers to ease his own stress and anxieties. Their attention was taken by a mouse scurrying into the machine, it powered up and the mouse eventually comes out on the other side with a copy following behind it. "Look, you can't get much better than that!" Curtis exclaimed, "And I promise -- It won't hurt a bit!"

Noelle locked eyes with Santa as they stood in silence, she was pleading with him to let Bernard take the lead, he could do it perfectly and the Elves would understand if they just explained the situation; Hell, some of them would help but like a common man, they had to do it their way. "I'm goin' in," Santa exclaimed suddenly. "I can't watch this!" Bernard exclaimed, he hid his face in the crook of Noelle's neck with her combing her fingers through the curls hanging at his shoulders. Noelle winced as her father went through the machine, she felt Bernard peek before covering his eyes again.