A Phoenix Christmas

Posted on Thu Mar 5th, 2020 @ 2:40am by Fleet Captain Torilla Yamaguchi & Commodore Siaxx "Bluemoon" Dvald-Vaxx MD & Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan

Mission: Mission 57: The Northern Lights
Location: Various Locations - USS Tranquility
Timeline: 1200Hrs - December 25th, 2391

Captain Torilla Yamaguchi was taking the twins to go and visit their 'Aunt' Phoenix. Nix in particular had been talking about it for days and even little Tressa was looking forward to this.

Siaxx Dvald-Sullivan smiled as she regarded her old friend. "Torilla.. Hey guys!" she greeted Torilla first and then the twins as Tressa rushed over to Siaxx before she leapt into the taller womans arms.

"Dropping by to see the Firebird.?"

"Yep... I promised the twins they could spend time with Phoenix and its all they've talked about for days.." Yamaguchi responded as Siaxx chuckled with good nature. "I know.. I was 'asked' to go meet you... you got by me."

"I didn't know you were after me." Yamaguchi responded as the four of them reached their destination. Dora greeted Torilla like a long lost friend, now the German Shepard was fully grown and she was filling out.

Shonax the cat meowed loudly at Torilla as the twins raced off to find Phoenix who apparently was here somewhere. "Is Phoenix or Aryssa about?"

"Mom just came off a trainin' flight," Aryssa explained from the kitchen. She was cooking up a storm. Mostly baking Christmas treats. "She'll be out of the shower in a few moments."

Torilla grinned at Aryssa. "Well you look like you're having fun... Do you need a hand with anything?" she inquired as she gave the food present the once over.

"Not much ta do but put sugar an' frosting on some of tha surgar cookies when they come out," Aryssa pointed out gently. "But sure."

Yamaguchi moved into the kitchen as she regarded the baking that Aryssa had already finished. "Very nice." she commented with a smile. "How long before the cookies are finished?" she inquired of Aryssa.

Siaxx meanwhile set about babysitting the twins and how they got along with the cats.

"Maybe ten minutes," Aryssa answered.

Yamaguchi smiled. "I will not promise not to eat them all.." she grinned at the shorter woman. "How've you been Aryssa?" she inquired.

"Good, actually. Jill apparently sent some of my recipes to various culinary institutes... Got some offers for next year's classes," Aryssa spoke excitedly.

"Nice." Torilla responded with a cheerfull smile. "So how much do you have left to do?" she inquired of the woman who was almost the same height as her.

"Just plate presentations and decorations," Aryssa smiled, but then sighed when she looked at the picture of her and Phoenix's parents. "I wish Mom could be here though.... Dad said she was having trouble managing her symptoms from her last treatment."

Yamaguchi regarded Aryssa before she too, turned her attention to the large portrait. "How is Dorothy doing these days?"

"Tired. Achy." Aryssa spoke quietly so as not to disturb the others. "Can't walk well, so Dad puts her in a hoverchair when she wants ta move about."

Yamaguchi nodded her head. "Fair enough." she paused. "She was here for Siaxx and Jill's wedding."

"Mom's always tried ta be there for Jill an' I," Aryssa spoke with a dull, sad tone. "I wish she was here but she wanted ta be treated in a place that's on a nice, green, lush planet."

"I understand." Yamaguchi responded quietly.

Siaxx watched as Tressa gently petted Shonax who purred happily. "Thats it sweetie, be gentle about it.."

Aryssa began to plate the deserts as she watched the twins play. "...I'm sorry about bringin' drugs into your home, Tori."

Torilla regarded Aryssa. "You didn't." she responded. "After what happened, Jake and I tore the place apart, making sure... and we didn't find anything... so... You have nothing to apologize for... But look on what happened as a life lesson Aryssa. You learned from it... and thats all I can ask.."

Siaxx kept one ear on the conversation as she watched Nix gently touch Dora on her nose. "Hey.." the small child regarded the German shepherd who was almost the same height as him. "You're nice... and soft." as he gently ran his fingers over her soft fur.

"She's Dora. She's a nice buddy," Phoenix spoke happily as she came out the bedroom in a nice festive sweater and jeans.

Dora sniffed at the small child as she was gentle with him.

Meanwhile Tressa gently held Shonax after she had picked him up, the cat seemed almost content to be held. "Meerroooowww.." he crooned as he began to squirm.

Siaxx watched. "You're holding him too tightly."

Tressa gently set the cat down as he leapt out of her arms before he landed next to Siaxx who gently petted him. Tressa gently petted him but she didn't pick him up.

"If not for tha twins, I don' think Jill woulda ever been ready ta try with me," Aryssa admitted both quietly and happily to Torilla. "She tries.... don' think she's as good as Mom. But she tries."

"Thats great, she deserves to be happy... with all the shit she's had to put up with..." Yamaguchi smiled as she regarded the younger woman before her. "So... you decided what you wanna do yet?" she inquired as she regarded the selection of baking food before her. "These look amazing... are they ready to be eaten?" she was being polite and it showed.

"I think I'll be a chef, yeah." Aryssa smiled. Content. "I like cookin' stuff."

Yamaguchi selected a cookie before she took a bite, a smile appeared on her face. "Mmmm." she responded. "Well... do you need references or anything like that?" she inquired.

"I dunno... Jill sent in a lot of my recipes to several culinary schools," Aryssa spoke with confusion. "I never knew Jill cared that much about my life... or understood my love of fixing meals."

Yamaguchi raised an eyebrow as she shifted her attention to Jill who was nearby, sitting with Nix and Dora. "She cares.." Yamaguchi commented. "She wasn't there for the first sixteen years of your life... But she wants to try and help you now."

"Siaxx said Jill used ta be a drunk," Aryssa spoke with some understanding. "I guess Jill just didn' wanna risk hurtin' me... Cause she's not too bad sober."

Torilla nodded. "Siaxx is not wrong. Jill used to be far worse... Weren't you there for when Siaxx got her face smashed in that one night on Starbase 400?" she inquired. "Jill.... Had a long road to travel, neither Siaxx or I could show her how to process it, she did the work herself, all we did was walk beside her."

"I remember... she wasn' drunk though. Folks said she just lost herself," Aryssa spoke with sympathy. "Dad's intimidated by her a lot cause he don' rightly know what ta do when she gets that mad."

"Rachael told me what happened that night..." Torilla smiled. "But look at her now... The twins love being around her, then there is Dora and the cats." As they spoke, one of the Margay cats descended and landed on Phoenix's shoulders, just behind her head.

"Siaxx is good for her," Aryssa agreed. "Keeps her more honest, at any rate."

Torilla regarded Aryssa as the older woman gave her a look of surprise. "You don't trust her?" she inquired gently.

"Respect is given, trust is earned... That's what my dad used ta say," Aryssa both answered and avoided.

Yamaguchi regarded the woman who was about the same height as her. "Mind a little advice?" she inquired. "Don't hold her at arms length for too long..."

"I'm trying not to..." Aryssa began to sit the dishes on the table for people to consume at will.

"She'll tell you what she wants from you in time." Torilla responded. "She has to do the same with you. She needs to adjust to you."

"I like that she's trying to get to know more more," Aryssa spoke with a smile as she went to place another tray of food on the dinning table.

"Give her time. You'll be legally an adult sometime in the next several months and able to leave home and never come back.... It all depends on what you want.."

"Maybe... I wanna be a chef, but I don' wanna keep her out of my life," Aryssa spoke with a hint of unease in her voice.

"Then don't. Do what I do with my children." Torilla explained. "I'm fortunate to have all my children in one place for the first time in years.." the tall woman smiled as she gently rubbed Aryssa's shoulders. "It'll be alright though... Give her a chance... and she'll give you a chance... Siaxx will look after things on her end...and on yours."

"I will... Thank you," Aryssa smiled Torilla.

"But the best thing you can do... is give it time." Yamaguchi responded. "Give her time to connect with you." she finished. "So... we ready to eat then?" she inquired.

"We are." Aryssa turned to the gather folks and announced lunch being ready.