Merry Christmas everybody! I have brought you all a special holiday themed story that introduces a lot of lore to my stories! All these characters live in a place called the Orrei Region! It roughly translates to the American Southwest.

Also, yes, Kaja is a secondary sona of mine, but she won't be making TOO many appearances for a bit longer. You'll see what I mean later, but for now, Happy Holidays and have some fun with my first story to feature all 8 of the main cast. (Oh and if anyone is interested, their mom's name is Leah)

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It was late the 23rd of December, Kajex invited Rhys, Cherry, and Dimitri over to his apartment that evening, his heart racing as they near arrival. Kajex seems to have some sort of plan.

"Come on come on..." he quivered as he paced back and forth, extremely nervous, "H-Hurry up guys... ple-"

He almost jumps when he hears a knock at his door, almost causing another shrinking episode for him.

"A-Ack!" he panicked as he stumbled over to the door, "C-Coming!"

Kajex rushes over to the door to see just who he was expecting to be at the door. All three of them in their typical attire despite the cold.

"H-Hey Kajex," Dimitri and Rhys shivered. "Whatcha need us for?" Cherry replied, "I had to halt development on my Micro Cage!" "C-Come in first before I explain!" Kajex stuttered, "You must be freezing!"

Dimitri is the last inside as he closes the door, everyone noticing what few holiday decorations Kajex has lining his apartment, two stocking, a dimly lit tree, and the like. Dimitri and Rhys curl under some blankets on the couch.

"O-Okay," Kajex blushed, "I-I have a plan that I need all 3 of you to help with." "Plan?" Cherry begrudgingly asked, "That's SERIOUSLY it?!" "I-I know," Kajex stuttered, "But I'm doing this for... Naomi."

Rhys' ears perk up as Dimitri glanced towards Kajex, Cherry letting out a sigh of pure disappointment in the Lucario.

"I-I just want to give her an... extra special present," he let out in a high-pitched squeak.

Kajex flared up as red as possible, everyone giving him a bizarre look.

"What're you planning for her?" Rhys asked. "I-I am a bit curious myself..." Dimitri continued.

Kajex and Cherry each took a seat, Kajex in a nearby chair, Cherry beside Rhys.

"S-So... Dimitri, can you pick up my presents for the Christmas party and can you two egg on Naomi to open hers from me?" Kajex awkwardly asked the group.

Within seconds Cherry figured out Kajex's plan, but the guys were completely braindead, having NO clue what's going on.

"You wanna give Naomi the greatest present ever?" Cherry snickered at the thought. "J-Just please guys?!" Kajex panicked with a blush, "I wanna do this for her!"

They continue giving awkward looks at Kajex, but he shrugs it off.

"What is EVEN you're plan?!" the guys exclaimed simultaneously. "Juuuust follow my lead," Cherry snickered, "It'll be a surprise for everybody except me." "Heheh..." Kajex chuckled, "It'll be amazing."

They all looked outside the starry night window, Cherry cuddling a bit against Rhys, making him blush with his red eye beginning to glow.

"S-So you just want me to grab your stuff and them to tell Naomi to open your gift to her?" Dimitri decided to double check. "Y-Yeah," Kajex replied, "Since I'll be a uh... little late."

Rhys cuddled a little back against her, making her blush.

"Guess this'll be a uh... quite the surprise?" Rhys chuckled. "It will be," Kajex replied confidently, "And that's a promise!"

Something however struck Cherry as odd in this scenario.

"Why not just talk about it with us tomorrow?" Cherry asked. "O-Oh yeah," he blushed, "I'm uh... visiting my mom in the D.R. District tomorrow.

Rhys knows EXACTLY what it'll be like tomorrow for Kajex.

"Just don't go getting bear hugged to death," Rhys smirked, "I remember what she always did when we went to your house to play." "Y-Yeah," Kajex blushed. "Just tell her I said hi," Rhys finished.

The night then dragged on and on. Eventually everyone decided to head home. Christmas Eve was on the following day and nobody wanted to miss it.

Christmas Eve
Late Morning

It was another chilly day. Kajex had his coat all zipped up and his hood on as he strolled through town carrying a small present in white wrapping paper, heading for a neighborhood consisting of much larger houses. He was in the D.R. part of the city, designed for those infected with Dynamax Radiation.

"To think I almost got stuck having to live in this corner of town," he thought as he looked around, "I can at least control it so I can live close to work... and Naomi."

He then came up to a much larger house, the door alone was more than double his size, he took a deep breath and gave it a knock.

"Coming!" a kind, female voice echoed on the other side of the door, followed by explosive footsteps.

After a minute or so of waiting, the door opens, revealing a BIG Lucario with a similar fur color pallet to Kajex, but with crimson eyes wearing a grey sundress with a faded pink apron covering it with a blue Pidove pattern, silver, circular glasses, and pink hair ties on each dread, her looking around a bit before looking down at Kajex.

"U-Um... h-hi mom," Kajex blushed as he looked up. "Oh sweetie!" she smiled as she picked him up off the ground in a bear hug, "Merry Christmas Eve!" "A-Ack!" Kajex panicked.

She carried Kajex in and closed the door with her tail, continuing to squeeze her son and burying his face in her chest.

"I missed you SO much my little gumdrop!" she squealed as she swayed him back and forth like she was a girl and her favorite doll. "M-Missed you too mom!" Kajex squeaked as he felt every scrap of air in his lungs leave his body, "H-Help!"

She soon realizes she's choking the poor Lucario and sets him down after giving him a big ol' smooch on his forehead.

"Happens every time," Kajex coughed as he get his senses screwed back on straight. "Sorrrrry!" his mom exclaimed, "You just don't visit all too often! I missed you!"

After another minute or so, Kajex took in all the surrounds. Furniture was all scaled up to suit his mother's needs instead of the rinky dink average sizes. Her walls were lined with photos of her in her younger days with a little Riolu of a Kajex with a variety of moods in his face, from happy as can be, to sad and depressed, plus a couple with pink eyes instead of purple oddly enough.

"M-Missed you too mom," Kajex blushed as he looked at the photos, "O-Oh and Rhys says hi." "Glad you could pay me a visit!" she exclaimed as her tail swished with the force of a fan, "And that little troublemaker says hi? Might have to visit him myself!"

Kajex clamored onto the couch that was as tall as the deep end of a pool for a minute before finally plopping on top, tossing his present onto the coffee table like 4 feet away from him.

"O-Of course I'd come over on Christmas Eve!" Kajex exclaimed, "You're all the family I got left..."

She sat beside Kajex, making him fly into the air a bit before he plops into her lap.

"And I hear you're still talking with that little sweetheart Naomi!" she playfully teased. "M-Mom!" Kajex panicked, "R-Really?!"

She giggled and booped his nose, making him shrink a little forcefully.

"You still have a crush on her?" she continued to tease, "She seems like the perfect girl for you!" "A-Ah come on mom!" Kajex exclaimed, "I-I..."

Kajex went silent, blushing and pouting like a small child in her lap.

"Hehe, you really don't ever change," she smiled as she scritches behind his ears. "Y-Yeah I know," Kajex replied with a soft tail wag.

She gave him a few more boops, Kajex now able to fit in the palm of her hand, but his blush still just as visible.

"M-Mom!" Kajex blushed in a high pitched squeak, "St-Stop shrinking me! You know it'll be a bit before I can go back to normal!" "But my little boy is all pouty," she said in a motherly tone, "And he loves being all small!"

She stroked his head with a fingertip feeling him murr softly in her lap as she reached over to the small present on the table.

"Can I open this please?" she smiled down at him. "O-Oh of course!" Kajex replied, "I don't mind at all if you open now! I-I think you'll like it!"

She happily unwrapped the box to see that it was an article of jewelry. Opening the box revealed a golden heart locket inside.

"This is so pretty sweetie!" she exclaimed, "Thank you!" "Heheh..." Kajex replied, "N-Now you'd want to open it..." "Oh?" she questioned.

She carefully opened the locket to see both sides taken up. One of Kajex giving a a nervous smile, but the other of a female doppelganger with pink eyes and some chest bust.

"You even got your sister in on this?!" she exclaimed. "It took a uh... a lot of convincing," he blushed, "B-But I got her in!"

She then SQUEEZED the doll of a Lucario in a big ol' hug, burying him in her chest, barely able to breathe.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!" she exclaimed, "Getting her to do any photos is a chore!" "Gl-Glad you love it!" Kajex replied in a muffled wheeze.

She puts the locket around her neck before holding out the smolcario in her hands, giving him another smooch that covered his whole body before holding him at eye level.

"Speaking of your sister," she started, "Mind if I chat with her for a bit?"

Kajex's heart skipped about a hundred beats, looking like his whole world was gonna end.

"Y-You really want me to swap over?!" Kajex panicked. "Come on," she smiled calmly, "It's Christmas Eve and she doesn't need to be cooped up all the time." "O-Okay..." Kajex said as he tried to calm down, "Kaja is taking over."

He took a deep breath as the once purple glow in his eyes turns a dark pink, his anatomy altered until he was the splitting image of his twin before looking up at their mother.

"What do you want mom?" she said in a feminine voice, clearly disappointed, "Why make Kajex swap?" "Don't I have a right to talk with my daughter one on one Kaja?" her mother smiled.

It was clear an entirely different person was there now. She didn't give off a socially awkward, yet kind demeanor, instead a more harsh and cold one.

"You lost that right the second she disappeared," Kaja replied harshly. "You never disappeared," her mother warmly smiled, "You're right in front of me aren't you?"

Kaja was stubborn to keep up being so heartless to her mother.

"I just want to stay locked up in Kajex," she pouted, "Like I should've been ages ago!" "Don't be like that," her mother replied as her ears drooped, "I just don't wanna give it all to your brother."

She held her daughter to eye level, watching as Kaja kept looking away from her, before rubbing her head a bit to make her grow a bit bigger.

"Are you done here?" Kaja harshly replied, "Or I'll forcefully swap back to-"

Her mother wrapped Kaja in a surprise hug against her mother's stomach that knocked the wind out of her, making her glow like a Christmas light.

"M-Mom?!" Kaja panicked. "Just giving you a goodbye hug before you go!" her mother replied with a single tear in her eyes. "Mom..." Kaja thought as the tear landed beside her, "Y-You really don't..."

Her mother rubbed Kaja's head a little more so she was a least the size of two palms before giving her one last, soft kiss.

"Okay, you can swap back Kaja," she said somberly, "Just thought you wanted a holiday." "I-It's fine," Kaja blushed, "I'd... rather not talk about this."

Within a few second Kaja reverted back into Kajex, the look on his face extra somber compared to normal.

"S-Sorry about that with Kaja mom..." Kajex replied, "She really didn't want to talk." "It's fine sweetie," she replied, "We both know how cold your sister can be around me."

Kajex nuzzled her arm like a puppy to try and comfort her after that.

"Hopefully one day I can set things right," Kajex thought, "I don't want that to happen again."

Then Kajex remembers another thing he wanted to ask her.

"Hey mom?" Kajex asked. "Yes?" she replied, "What is it?" "C-Can I... get a little help with something?" "Like what?" she asked.

Christmas Eve had come and gone. Kajex spent the whole day being his mom's little puppy like he was a Riolu again and she happily held her son closely. He even stayed until it was almost midnight, but he had to head home so he could prepare for what was to come that following morning.

Christmas Day
Late Morning

Dimitri had already stopped by Kajex's place and grabbed all of his gifts for everyone that was kept in a large, nicely kept bag that was also pretty light. He looked around frantically while keeping an eye out for Cherry's address.

"It should be right around here..." Dimitri thought as he looked around, "Where could it b-"

He soon recognized the address on her run down home, sweating a bit at the thought of going in there.

"I'm surprised that I didn't expect her to live in a place like this," Dimitri thought as he came up to the door, "She definitely didn't seem like the tidy type."

He took a deep breath and knocked loudly on the front door, only to be greeted by Jade at the door, her smile illuminating.

"Oh it's Dimitri!" Jade smiled brightly, "Come on in!" "O-Oh thank you Jade," Dimitri stuttered as he looked up at her.

Dimitri stepped inside to be met with walls covered to the BRIM with Christmas decorations, tables covered with all sorts of food to snack on, the tree glistening that the star in the night sky, all the presents sitting happily underneath it, and everybody is here, Yuki is even wearing a dark grey, wool coat, red shirt with a blue rose pattern, black, skin tight shorts, and her signature black, circular glasses.

"O-Oh wow," Dimitri stuttered, "Never would've guessed..."

Everybody was having fun. Rhys and Ace were playing video games on the TV, Yuki and Naomi were chatting on the sidelines, and Cherry was whistling with glee over by the kitchen. Everybody soon taking notice of him.

"Oh look who it is!" Cherry whistled. "Hehe... hi," Dimitri awkwardly chuckled.

Dimitri set the presents he brought by the tree as Naomi glanced towards them, confused.

"What's with double the presents?" she asked him concerned. "O-Oh uh, half of these aren't from me," Dimitri stuttered, "Kajex told me he'd be late and asked me to grab his." "Our little Kajex being late?" Yuki continued, "Doesn't sound like that precious little cupcake at all!"

Naomi blushed a bit when she called Kajex a cupcake.

"Eh, it's whatever," Cherry shrugged, "Pretty sure he asked Dimitri to grab them because he didn't mind us opening his gifts while we wait." "Hehe, at least that does sound like Kajex!" Jade giggled, "But would've still liked to have him here."

Rhys and Ace are too hyperfixiated on their game to care about what's going on.

"Come on I'mma gonna get you this time!" Ace said as he began to sweat. "No you ain't!" Rhys replied, "Like every other game!"

The other 5 awkwardly glance their way for a moment before shrugging it off.

"He's such a sweetie," Yuki smirked, "Such a shame he won't let me promote him. He deserves it."

Naomi's face flares up a bit more.

"H-He really is," Naomi blushed. "What're you getting all blushy over Naomi?" Jade asked her as she scratches behind Naomi's ears. "I-It's nothing!" Naomi panicked.

Jade can't help but to giggle at Naomi while the others just go about their day.

Early Afternoon

Everyone has had their fair share of food and fun, talking up storms or watching Rhys get his butt handed to him by Cherry when he ate a few too many brownies. They all pulled up some chairs and gathered around the tree, Rhys begrudgingly handing everyone their presents with Dimitri. Kajex still hasn't shown up.

"Oh I can't wait!" Ace exclaimed as his tails spun around like all Buizels, "Come in, come on hurry up!" "I-I'm moving as fast as I can!" Rhys replied somewhat agitated, "I can't use Extreme Speed!"

Naomi was however, very uneasy. She didn't like the lack of a Kajex during the ending portion of the party, feeling like he passed up an amazing party like he never wanted to be there.

"Don't worry about him Naomi," Jade smiled as she placed her hand on Naomi's shoulder, "He'll be here." "I-I hope so," Naomi replied somberly as she descended into a mumble, "I miss him..."

After a good couple of minutes, Rhys and DImitri finally got everything split up, everything for Kajex under the tree still.

"Can we start opening please?!" Ace eagerly smiled, "I can't wait." "What about Kajex?" Yuki asked concerned, "He can be a little late, but not THIS late!"

Naomi clenched a small, blue present that's her gift from Kajex, feeling whatever is inside rattling around a bit.

"Eh, he'll be fine," Cherry rolled her eyes at, "He wouldn't have asked Dimitri to grab his presents for everyone if he cared that he watched us open them." "I-I'd rather wait for him," Naomi replied.

Ace started unwrapping in seconds, shredding the wrapping paper like he was a cat, or a Cherry.

"Hehe... guess that isn't stopping Ace," Dimitri chuckled. "Works for me," Rhys shrugged as he started unwrapping.

Everybody else began slowly unwrapping their gifts while Naomi just sat there, waiting.

"Come on Naomi," Rhys said, "At least open the one from Kajex." "I-I won't until he gets here!" Naomi replied. "Just come oooon Naomi," Cherry sighed, "It doesn't matter to him. He'd want you to open that ASAP."

She could feel her phone vibrate in her pocket after another minute or so, making her jump a bit.

"Hm?" Naomi thought as she rummaged for her phone, "Who's messaging me?"

She took out her phone to find a message from Kajex.

"Naomi, I can tell you aren't too keen on opening my gift to you yet," she read, "But please open it. It's nothing all too special. Trust me. -Kajex"

She pockets her phone as everyone looks her way.

"Oh?" Yuki asked, "Was that from Kajex?" "Y-Yeah," Naomi blushed, "He really wants me too."

She slowly tore off a corner of the wrapping paper.

"Just go ahead and open it," Rhys awkwardly chuckled, "He seems adamant about this one."

She tore off more and more, eventually revealing the lid to a small, cardboard box.

"H-Here I go," she said as she took a deep breath.

However, almost nobody expected what was soon to follow. Kajex popped out of the box with the brightest smile on his face, getting everyone except Cherry to stumble back a little in shock.

"Merry Christmas Naomi!" Kajex explain as his tail wagged like Ace's, "And to everybody else!" "A-A wha in the huh?!" the guys stuttered simultaneously. "K-Kajex?!" Naomi blushed as she tried to hold back the shock, "H-How did-" "I asked my mom some help with this surprise!" he replied, "Was it worth it?"

While everybody else looked like they just witnessed the biggest twist in a film, Naomi squeezed the little Kajex like a plush toy, twice the force his mom was giving him yesterday.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you Kajex!" she squealed with joy, "I love it!" "You're welcome!" Kajex replied with the last bit of air he had in his lungs.

The guys remained braindead while the girls got all around Naomi to get a look at their tiny friend.

"Hehe, I KNEW that was your plan all along!" Cherry snickered, "Surprised that mutt and that doofus didn't realize it at all!" "H-hey!" Rhys and Dimitri stuttered in unison.

Jade and Yuki couldn't help but to gawk at the Lucario.

"D'awww, you're even more precious than I thought!" Yuki squealed as she got closer to him. "I-I'm not really though," Kajex said as he flared up. "And of course you'd do this for Naomi!" Jade smiled. "Wh-What makes you think that?" Kajex and Naomi blushed simultaneously.

Naomi squeezed him tighter.

"H-He's my present everybody!" she blushed, "Wait a bit!"

They backed up a little, but giggled back at Naomi.

"He is the greatest gift of all," Yuki giggled. "I-I am not!" Kajex stammered. "You're the greatest gift of all to me though," Naomi thought.

Rhys and Dimitri quickly moved all of Kajex's presents to beside Naomi.

"You might wanna help Kajex open his gifts," Dimitri remarked. "O-Oh of course!" Naomi replied as she set Kajex on her shoulder. "Still can't believe I was that stupid to not notice," Rhys mumbled. "I mean, you decided to back talk to me the day we met," Cherry shrugged, "So you clearly haven't been the sharpest tool in the shed."

Rhys' red eye flared up with his own blush, catching everybody's attention.

"Oh wow, so only your red eye glows?" Ace asked. "Don't ask!" Rhys blushed.

They all then decide to get back to present opening after the initial shock of Kajex in a box wears off.

An hour or so later...

They've all pretty much taken care of everybody's gifts. Cherry's gifts to everyone are all that's left now.

"Heheh, and you all saved the best for last!" Cherry snickered. "You're gifts are never really that special," Ace shrugged. "That's because you're my brother," Cherry countered, "So you don't get my A game."

Kajex let out a sigh as he had memories flood back into him.

"Gotta love that tough love between siblings," he sighed.

Rhys was the next one to open his, but his gift was a bunch of cash.

"J-Just cash?" Rhys asked awkwardly, "That's it?" "Hey, you WOULD have gotten a gift like pretty much everyone else," Cherry replied, "But you already got an invention from me!"

Ace opened his to find that he got a video game he had been DYING to have for a while now.

"Oh thank you sis!" he squealed with joy, "Been waiting AGES to grab this!"

Naomi then opened Kajex's to see he just got an armband, so he just pocketed it for the time being.

"Okay, so you were the uh... harder on to pick for," Cherry blushed, "But the rest of you got some of my best!" "Hm?" Naomi asked, "Guess we'll see about that..."

Naomi and Yuki opened their simultaneously, Naomi had received two odd, silver bracelets and Yuki got a silver necklace with a purple charm on it.

"Since the rest of you got some of my own inventions!" Cherry exclaimed, "That designed with any and all interests you have! Thank Kajex for the details!" "Oh really?" Yuki replied, "What exactly do these things do?"

Cherry snickered as they put them on, Dimitri and Jade still a tad hesitant to open theirs.

"My Plush Grip allows anyone who gets hugged by the wearer to turn into a marketable plushie for an hour!" Cherry snickered. "Actually?!" Naomi squealed. "Heheh, yep," Cherry continued, "And the Matter Drainer is a bit like my Size Siphoner, but only temporary and infuses the wearer with a seemingly infinite amount of matter!" "You really DO know us inside and out," Yuki smiled. "Oh I can't wait to see what you made for me!" Jade exclaimed. "S-Same!" Dimitri continued.

Jade and Dimitri followed suit as Naomi and Yuki resisted the urge to go ham with their devices. Dimitri got a little attachment for his glasses and Jade got a weird wrist band.

"Dimitri just got a little analyzer that doubles as an agenda keeper and syncs up to your phone!" Cherry smirked, "Since I heard he's awful of keeping track of time." "Heheh... sorry about that," Dimitri awkwardly chuckled.

They slipped on their gifts happily.

"Oh what about mine?!" Jade smiled. "Well, you were a bit similar to Naomi, but I didn't wanna duplicate the Plush Grip," Cherry blushed, "So that wristband is a Goo Amplifier that makes your body temporarily produce extra slime with a thought, or can alter it's properties." "Oh that's SO perfect!" Jade exclaimed as she rushed over to Cherry. "W-Wait a seco-" Cherry tried to counter.

With a single hug from Jade, Cherry was LATHERED in Goodra slime.

"Well uh... looks like it works," Rhys squeaked. "Y-Yep," Ace continued, "And uh... I'm not gonna have a fun time cleaning out the shower later..."

Cherry would have probably zapped Jade to the size of a crumb with the Size-Siphoner, but she chose to let this go.

"Just... don't try anything like this next time, got it?" Cherry said in a darker tone. "I'll try not to!" Jade exclaimed, "I'm so sorry!"

Naomi and everybody else gathered around the tree, Ace wiping off some excess goo to help out his sister a bit, everybody getting ready for a picture.

"Let's make this a photo for the ages!" Kajex exclaimed. "Of course!" Naomi replied.

She then accidentally hugged the Lucario and after a quick flash of light, he was aa ADORABLE plush toy, unable to really move or talk.

"Heheh... whoops," she blushed. "Come on, everybody show these off!" Ace suggested, "Make this extra special!"

Ace rushed over to the kitchen and came back with a gallon of water.

"Go on guys," Cherry awkwardly shrugged, "Show off what you got!"

Rhys used his abilities to turn a bunch of wrapping paper into an origami sword that he swung over his shoulder while Ace chugged that gallon of water, doubling in size and chonk.

"I'll handle the photo set up," Dimitri chuckled.

Dimitri quickly got up as his glasses lit up with a complete analysis of where would be the best place to put the camera.

"This thing really is handy," he thought, "Definitely gonna have this on 24/7..."

Yuki then placed her hand on some some of the discarded boxes, absorbing their matter into her own body until she bulks up to at least a dozen feet tall.

"That's muuuuch better," Yuki giggled as she kneeled behind the group, "Gonna LOVE using this!" "Good to know everyone is enjoying themselves," Cherry chuckled, "Feels good to be a part of this."

Dimitri set the camera up for a minute so he could get in place, everybody ensuring everybody is visible. (i.e. having Yuki and Ace in the back) Naomi and Kajex are in the middle, Cherry and Rhys in front of Ace, leaving Dimitri and Jade on the other side.

"Everybody except Kajex say Merry Christmas!" Naomi giggled. "Merry Christmas!" everybody exclaimed. "Merry Christmas!" Kajex thought.

The photo was taken in that instant, the smiles and memories sealed in such a simple photo...