Kanna Claus - A Sakura Taisen Christmas story

by Haruka

Maria Tachibana placed an ornament on the tall Christmas tree, then stepped back to see if it was hanging straight. She nodded with satisfaction. "This is going to be lovely when it is finished," she said in a deep, Russian-accented voice.
"It certainly is," Oogami Ichirou agreed. "Kanna has a good eye for picking out the perfect tree." He looked around at the assembled Hanagumi members, all of whom were decorating the room in one way or another. "Where is Kanna, anyway? I haven't seen her for a couple of hours - not since we brought the tree home."
"It _has_ been blissfully quiet," remarked Kanzaki Sumire with a typical smirk as she pinned a garland along the fireplace mantle.
Leni Milchstrasse peered around the other side of the tree doubtfully. She glanced from Sumire to Soletta Orihime, who sat at the piano playing Christmas carols for them while they worked. It wasn't quiet at all, but she knew what Sumire meant, and thought it best not to comment.
"Here's the egg nog!" announced Shinguji Sakura. She carried the tray of glasses carefully, but Sumire still made a point of moving far away from her. She was followed by Li Kouran, who had a tray of her own filled with Christmas cookies.
"Iris is so excited! Aren't you Jean-Paul?" inquired little Iris Chateaubriand of her teddy bear. She hugged him tightly, her eyes shining. "Pere Noel is going to come soon, non?"
"Ho ho ho! Sooner than you think!"
Everyone turned suddenly at the booming voice in the doorway. A very tall Santa Claus with red hair stood with hands on hips and a big grin showing through the fake beard. Even Orihime stopped playing the piano to stare.
"Kanna-han?" questioned Kouran.
"Yep, it's me!" Kirishima Kanna declared. "What do you think, huh?" She turned to model her Santa suit. "Do I look the part or what?"
"You need more stomach and less chest," Leni said mischievously.
"I couldn't drive with the pillow under my belt," Kanna answered. "I'll put it in before I go to the orphanage."
"Is that what this is for?" Ichirou asked.
"Yeah, I know a guy who works there, and he says they had a Santa lined up for the kids, but he came down sick." She grinned. "So I volunteered."
"That was very nice of you, Kanna," Maria told her with a smile.
"I think it'll be fun," she said. "Problem is, I've got zero experience with this kind of thing. I was hoping you guys would help me out."
"Sure, we'll help!" Sakura agreed eagerly.
"It's a good cause," Sumire said slowly. "I don't see why not."
"Great!" Kanna pulled out a chair and sat down on it. "So I want you all to come tell Santa what you want for Christmas!" She patted her knees.
Ichirou laughed. "How about I be your elf assistant instead?" He walked over to stand next to her chair. "Okay, kids, line up to see Santa!"
"Ohhh, me first, me first!" Orihime clapped her hands and skipped over to plop herself down on Kanna's lap. "Ciao, Santa! I'm Soletta Orihime!"
"Ho ho ho!" Kanna Claus said. "And what would you like for Christmas, Orihime?"
"I'd love to have new sheet music for the piano - preferably by Italian composers."
"I don't see why not, ho ho ho!"
Orihime threw her arms around Kanna's neck. "Oh, _thank_ you, Santa!"
Ichirou escorted her off Kanna and then motioned to Sakura. "Here's another pretty little girl, Santa!"
Sakura giggled and hurried over to sit on Kanna's lap. "Hello, Santa! I've been a good girl all year!"
"Ho ho ho! Then you should get what you most want for Christmas!" Kanna Claus boomed. "And what might that be?"
"The starring role in the next play!" Sakura said, blushing.
Sumire put her hands on her hips. "Now just one minute ...."
"You've got it, little Sakura!" Kanna told her. "Ho ho ho!"
Sumire stalked over as Sakura stood up. "You can't _really_ expect to - EEK!"
Kanna had yanked Sumire down to sit on her knee. "My, how noisy you are! Are you sure you've been a good enough girl to deserve any presents this year?"
"Unhand me, you oaf!" Sumire squirmed to free herself and finally managed to escape. Kanna Claus exchanged a look with her Ichirou-elf.
"Mark that one down for a lump of coal in her stocking," she said seriously, then faced the room. "Who's next?"
"How about the little girl with the freckles?" Ichirou suggested, escorting a grinning Kouran to her place on Kanna's lap.
"Ho ho ho! And what would you like for Christmas, my dear?"
Kouran pushed up her glasses. "I'd like a new ratchet set!"
"Why? So you can make more of a ratchet than usual?"
"Santa-han!"
"Ho ho ho! Santa's just kidding, little girl!" Kanna laughed. "You'll get your ratchets, I'm sure!"
"Thank you!" Kouran gave a respectful bow of her head and jumped up.
"Come on, Leni, you're next!" Orihime took Leni by the shoulders and urged her toward Kanna.
"Orihime, I don't - " Leni started to say, but was unceremoniously pushed onto Kanna Claus' lap by her strong-willed friend.
"This little girl is Leni, Santa," Ichirou said.
"Hello, Leni!" Kanna said cheerfully. "And what would you like for Christmas?"
Leni's expression became serious, and after a moment she responded, "RAM for my computer."
Kanna's grin faltered. "You want someone to ram your computer?"
"No, RAM _for_ the computer."
"You mean a goat with big rounded horns?" Kanna scratched her red hat in confusion.
Leni tried not to smile. "If it's the kind of goat that'll make the computer run faster, then yes."
"Ho ho ho! Okay, Leni, you'll get your goat!"
"You get mine every day," Sumire muttered.
"How about this pretty girl and handsome bear next?" Ichirou suggested, and lifted Iris onto Kanna's knee as Leni vacated it.
"Bonjour, Pere Noel!" Iris said. "I am Iris and this is Jean-Paul!"
"Ho ho ho! It's nice to meet you, Iris, and Jean- Paul too, of course! I'm sure you've been a good girl all year, am I right?"
"Iris is always good," the child said sagely.
"Always?" Maria murmured with a dubious smile, causing Ichirou to chuckle.
"What would you like for Christmas then, Iris?" Kanna Claus asked.
"I would like for all my friends to get _their_ wishes, because being here with them is all the present I want."
Kanna smiled warmly at her and gave her a hug. "We love you, too, honey," she whispered.
"May we have the cookies now?" Iris asked, sliding off Kanna's knee.
"Not just yet," Kanna said. "There's still one little girl who hasn't sat on Santa's lap!"
Everyone looked toward Maria, who had been about to hang another ornament. She stopped when she realized silence had fallen and she was the subject of all eyes.
"Come here, little girl, and tell Santa what you want for Christmas!" Kanna invited, patting her knee.
"Don't be silly," Maria said, colour flooding her cheeks. "I am too old for such things."
"And we're not?" Kouran laughed.
"Go on, Maria, it's all in fun," Sakura said.
Ichirou went over and took gentle hold of her arm, turning her toward Kanna. "_And_ it's to help our resident Santa," he reminded her.
She heaved a weary sigh and relented, walking over to seat herself on Kanna's lap.
"Ho ho ho!" Kanna Claus said loudly. "Look what we have here! A pretty little Russian girl! Have you been good all year?"
"You tell me," Maria said under her breath with a mischievous smile. Kanna was the only one to hear her, but it was enough to make her blush.
"Uhhh, and what would you like for Christmas, dear?"
Maria leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Kanna's face turned crimson.
"Well, that's enough practice for now!" she declared, barely waiting for Maria to stand up before leaping to her feet. "Thanks for your help, everybody!"
She practically ran from the room, and Maria picked up a cup of egg nog, sipping it.
"I think she did rather well, don't you?" she asked the others slyly.

Later that evening, Maria had just finished undressing for bed when she heard her door opening. She spun around, her gun in hand. Kanna, still in her Santa costume, held up her hands.
"You wouldn't shoot Santa Claus, would you?"
Maria lowered the gun and smiled. "Close the door."
Kanna obeyed and took off her hat, admiring Maria's nude body. "Well, what do you know?" she grinned. "I got what _I_ wanted for Christmas."
"And will I get what I asked for?" Maria inquired with a twinkle in her eye.
"What do you think I came here for?" Kanna chuckled and slipped her arms around the Russian girl. "Although by rights, you should have gone on the 'naughty' list for that."
"Give me a chance, Santa," Maria kissed her softly, "to show you how 'good' I can be."
"Ho ho ho!"

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