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.. Follow the toys.

You decide to follow the path of toys into the alley. You walked deeper into the alley, twisting and turning. You feel like you're going around in a circle. It doesn't help that you feel like there is something watching you, a small totting sound behind you. Perhaps it is just an alley cat. You continue on but soon you feel a breathing on your neck and just as you turn around to see it is a reindeer with a bright red nose it grabs you by the mouth. Oh God. It's going to eat you! You close your eyes tight and wonder why you even came out here in the first place. Nothing seems to happen though, but you feel a bump and click. You feel like you're being carried somewhere.

.. Follow the trail.

You decide to follow the remains of the poor plush toy. You walk deeper into the dark alley as an eerie wind blows by you. You hear a rumbling and you check your stomach. Huh? It wasn't your stomach. Are you hearing things? The growling seems to get louder... and louder... and finally you turn around and find a rabid reindeer staring you down in the face. Oh god! It's nose is glowing red! Just what is this reindeer on? You run quickly but the reindeer is able to take one step for every four you take and catches you up in his mouth. You close your eyes tight as you fear the worse but nothing happens. It seems like the reindeer is taking you somewhere.

.. Follow the toys.

.... AND

.. Follow the trail.

You finally get the courage to open your eyes and what you see is something you never expected to arise from this situation. There is a jolly man tied to one of the dumpsters and not looking in very good shape. He's wearing red and white, but seems to be missing the matching hat that goes with it. He looks mighty hungry. Oh GOD. The thought that you were brought here to be fed to the jolly man floods your mind and you squirm around in the reindeer's mouth but he won't let you go. The sound of the jolly man laughing a ho ho ho floods your mind.

"Rudolph," he said. "Let the poor thing down, it looks absolutely terrified!"

The reindeer protested but finally puts you down. You feel relieved, but when you turn around you see the reindeer staring you in the face suspiciously. Gulp. You better not try to run. You turn back to the man in red. You have found your goal. You take a step forward towards him, cautiously.

"Santa?" You ask.

"Yes child?"

"Why are you tied up in the back of an alley? Tell me what happened?"

The jolly man nods his head and explains to you that he finally wanted to come to a truce with The Bakery, that he even brought toys for all of the dessert. He wanted to tell Celeste that he didn't know that the cookie he ate would then turn into a small magical creature. He never would have if he had known! He wanted to tell her that he never forgot about it and has felt horrible all these years.

Alas, his jolly laughter could be heard throughout The Bakery on Christmas Eve and all the desserts that had heard twisted stories of what had happened plotted to capture him. They mistook his laughter as an evil laugh and soon they grabbed all the rope they could find and set up a trap to ensare the jolly man. The had successfully trapped the jolly man and in the process his hat fell off his head and onto the ground where a small black cinnamon bun found it. He's been tied up back here since, with his trusty reindeer Rudolph protecting him.

"Oh," was all you could say. "Maybe I can untie you!"

You carefully untie him and hope that you don't become part of the menu.

"Thank you," he says in a very jolly manner, but his face seems sad.

You feel inclined to cheer him up, but how? You think carefully. Ah ha! You give him back his hat and then tou tell him that next year he should come back, and you'll spread the word until then. Spreading holiday cheer all year long, and convincing everyone that you're not a threat to them. Baker Celeste would surely welcome Santa back next year, right?

"You're such a good child," he says as he puts his red hat back on his head. He looks much more complete now. "I will put my trust in you and see you next year."

With that, he gives you a pat on the head before he hops on the back of Rudolph and disappears into the distance. You feel relieved, and a little sad. You had met the jolly man and found out what had happened. He even promised he'd come back next year! Now all you had to do in the meanwhile was spread the word. Santa was a good man! He meant them all no harm! With that, you head back home for a well deserved nap.

Ho ho ho, see you all next year, my delicious desserts.

junglerunner, hibi-tea and Cidela please roll 1 20-sided die.