A holiday story featuring  sournote103!

Rerim doesn't much care for the holidays, but that changes when a suit comes into play...

I hope you all enjoy, I would love to hear what you all think! ^_^

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“On the first day of christmas...” A group of carolers in the college dorms were passing by Rerim’s door, but the dog couldn’t be less interested. Rerim had never been one to celebrate Christmas, or many of the holidays to be honest. The dog sighed and rolled his eyes as he heard a knock on the door, he didn’t answer though, knowing they would leave sooner or later.

As the singers waited for him to answer the door, Rerim continued to do math homework when he heard a few disappointed mumbles and the sound of footsteps going away. “Thank goodness...” He muttered, writing down some formulas as he heard a knock on his window.

Glancing at the window, he smiled as he saw Tiran waving. Sliding it open, the otter slid in, though he was trying to warm himself up by rubbing his arms. “Hooo! It’s freaking cold out there buddy.” Tiran grabbed one of Rerim’s sheets and wrapped it around himself before smiling, “So, locking yourself so the carollers don’t find you?”

“Yup.” Rerim said, sitting down at his desk once more and writing down some notes. “What brings you here bud?”

“Well...” Tiran scratched the back of his head, “I’m going to be heading out for a few weeks, my family decided to go on vacation. I wanted to say goodbye before I go, also, the coach opened up auditions for the mascot job as I’m going to be gone for some of the games. I was wondering if you were interested.”

Rerim scratched the back of his head with the end of his pen, “Well... I dunno. It seems like to be the mascot here, you HAVE to have Christmas Spirit. If you didn’t notice, I’m not one for the holidays.”

Tiran nodded, “That’s true...” He looked away, thinking about it for a moment. “Well it’ll only be temporary. And I heard that they’re making a new suit seeing as mine’s a bit worn out, you’d be the first to try it on!”

Sighing, Rerim looked back at his friend. “You’re not going to stop pestering me about this, are you?”

“Nope.” Tiran said as he smiled, rubbing his paws together to warm up.

The dog was quiet for a moment as he finished up a math problem and looked back at his friend, “Fine. But on one condition, you have to promise they won’t force me into the whole ‘Christmas Cheer’ thing.”

The otter rolled his eyes, “Fine.” The pair shook hands, and Rerim shivered.

“Your paws are cold...”

“You don’t say?!” Tiran roared before laughing, Rerim laughed along, though he wasn’t excited to try out for the mascot position.

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The tryouts were a joke, there was one other person who tried out for the mascot part. But as he walked out in front of the squad, he passed out on the spot from nervousness. They put Rerim in front of him, and he crossed his arms and looked at them skeptically, and while they were put off by his disposition, he was the conscious one.

The dog was given a playbook for what he should do, and what he had to do. Rerim noticed right off the bat that because their school mascot was the polar bear, and that it was Christmas time, he would be required to show off holiday cheer. “No.” He said into the cell phone.

“Rerim... why do you have to be so difficult?” Tiran begged, Rerim could hear the otter fumbling with the car’s blinker as they talked.

“Because, you promised I wouldn’t have to do stupid holiday stuff.” Rerim said sternly, hanging on his doorknob was the polar bear costume.

“Well, just do a little cheer for Christmas, then you should be fine.” Tiran said, there was a few sounds in the background then Tiran spoke again. “I’m pulling up to a restaurant, talk to you later.”

Rerim grunted in affirmation as his friend hung up, “This is awful...” He grunted as he took the polar bear suit in paw, “Well... better get dressed up.” He muttered miserably, preparing for a night of humiliation.

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Stepping out onto the football field, Rerim sighed exasperated as he walked out towards the center of the field. He heard cheers from the football players and the crowd as they watched him, everyone was ecstatic save for Rerim. What annoyed the dog even more was the fact that the costume had a santa costume on, which only seemed to degrade him even more.

Looking around, Rerim rubbed his head. The suit felt really hot, and he couldn’t stand having to be in a hot suit on a field that he didn’t want to be on. He started to wave to everyone, having been instructed to do so. Nearer and nearer to the center he got, as he walked he noted the other mascot doing acrobatics as he walked towards the center with Rerim.

“Oh great...” Rerim whispered to himself, “Looks like the other guy is a showboat...” What the dog didn’t notice, was the coach pulling out a small remote from his pocket. The wolf grinned as he pressed it.

Suddenly inside of the suit’s head, Rerim found himself looking at gorgeous spiraling colors. The colors were hypnotic, sinking deep into the dog’s mind. “You are the mascot! You love Christmas! You are a Polar bear, you exude school spirit!” The voice saying it to him was goofy, and even though Rerim found it ridiculous, the dog found himself enjoying listening to it.

The dog slowed, but still his feet pulled him along even though he was dazed. “School spirit runs in your veins, you love to do acrobatics, and you love to entertain. The holidays are your favorite time of year, especially Christmas.” As Rerim walked, his body started to fill out to fit the suit. His footsteps started to become heavier along with his stride becoming more confident, his mind started to throw out his old life as his new life started to fill him.

Rerim remembered being a polar bear for all of his days, being a very chipper bear he had celebrated Christmas with his family and had enjoyed it immensely. When he had been in high school, he had acted as the school’s mascot. Moving into college, he had volunteered as soon as he heard about the position.

As Rerim’s stomach expanded and fit his new polar bear form, a grin started to form on the bear’s face as he started to hop and jump and scream along with the other mascot. A new feeling of pride school filling him to the brim, “Yeah! Go team, feel that Christmas feeling!” He screamed in glee.

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The next morning, Rerim was experimenting with some cheers when his door opened to reveal Tiran smiling. “Hey Rerim, how was last night’s game?” He didn’t appear to be surprised in the least at his friend’s new form.

“It was great bud! Too bad you missed it.” Rerim said, his voice a bit goofier than it had been earlier.

“Don’t worry, now that you have my job, I can join the football team. They gave me this helmet the other day.” He showed off a helmet, Rerim didn’t note how his friend had become stronger looking. It appeared that the mascot hadn’t been the only one hypnotized...