A quaint little cottage where Santa lives. If you find the trigger, the secret door to the elevator that takes you down to Santa's Grotto will make itself visible.

::Santa sits in front of a roaring fire, with a plate stacked with mince pies and a bucket of milk at his feet. He has a scroll in his hand, one that, were you to stretch it out, would wrap around the world thrice. In his other hand, he has a fountain pen and is thoughtfully using it as a pointer to go down the list.::

"I really don't know why I have to check this damned thing twice... I already know everybody's been naughty..."

(Bar the odd one or two. Little Josie, for example.)

::He stops at our very own Josie's name and chuckles, drawing a little love heart on either side of it.::

::A small creature timidly approaches the red beast by the fire. His high-pitched voice is shaky when he speaks, obviously incredibly nervous.::

"S-S-Nicholas? The- the sleigh is almost r-ready for you."

"How dare you disturb me when I'm busy doing something so important!?"

::Santa sweeps up to his feet and kills the elf with a huge candy cane.::

"Stupid little fool. Still. Good news, after all."

::He stomps loudly from his home to the byre.::

::Santa bring Melinda inside and locks the door.::

"Well then! What can I get the young lady? Some nice hot cocoa? Seems the weather for it."

::He smiles at her knowing full well the witches will be on their way soon.::

(And here's hoping.)

::Melinda nods and has a quiet look round. She likes Santa. He's big and friendly.::

"What's your name?"

::Since he has no Mrs. Claus to chauvinise, Santa is on cocoa duty himself. He gets two large mugs out and makes Magic Christmas Cocoa.::

"I have many names, my sweet."

::He smiles over his shoulder at her.::

"Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas... you can call me Santa."

"I'm Melinda."

::And she looks very proud of that fact.::

"Oh, I know your name."

::The bearded menace chortles and hands Melinda a mug, sipping from his own.::

"Try it."

::Melinda raises the mug to her lips, then takes a sip.::

"Is it good?"

::The silly smile on Melinda's face says it all. She nods and drinks some more, feeling fluttery and tingly as the cocoa warms her and makes her feel tired.::

::Santa watches her, as if waiting.::

[Because he's waiting for Melinda to fall asleep. His Magic Christmas Cocoa has that effect on those whose mugs get a special ingredient. And there she goes. The mug falls from her hands, thankfully empty, as Melinda sinks to the ground, out.]

"Poor little thing."

::Santa puts his own mug down and picks Melinda up, slinging her over his shoulder. He triggers the door and steps into the elevator. The doors slide shut, invisible once more, and Father Christmas takes Melinda to his grotto.::

::Paige orbs in with Julie, Lirie and Azura.::

"I don't want a word from any of you about this."

::She looks around, unable to see anything out of the ordinary. Then she realises whatever could be there might be invisible. She closes her eyes. Already the others have an 'I told you so' opportunity.::

"... is there anything here?"

::Julie puts Lirie down.::

"Nothing of importance. Just these."

::She walks over and picks up the hot cocoa mugs. She sniffs them.::

"Hot cocoa."

"Maybe someone was here recently."

::Paige looks around. There doesn't seem to be much to the cottage. In fact, there doesn't even appear to be a bathroom. Everything is crammed into this one room. She looks out the window and sees, in the distance, the byre the others are in.::

"I hope she's okay."

:: Lirie waddles around the room, gaping. No quarter, no sparkley balls and no pretty girls to entertain her, she begins jumping up and down. ::

"Wanna see Santa, wanna see Santa, wanna see Santa, wanna see Santa, wanna see Santa, wanna see Santa!"

:: She inadvertently puts some magical energy into her chanting, wishing Saint Nick to appear. ::

::Santa doesn't appear, but an elf scuttles from one side of the room to the other, hiding.::

:: Lirie squeals excitedly at the sight of something small scamper around and waddles after it, trying to catch it. ::

"Did you hear that?"

::Julie looks back at them and follows Lirie.::

"What is it kiddo?"

"What?"

::Paige turns around, searching.::

"What is it?"

::She goes pale[r].::

"Gnome!"

:: Lirie shouts, pointing at the hiding creature. ::

::Julie runs over there and makes a grab for the creature.::

:: Lirie makes a strangled noise, waving her hands at Julie, fearing that she's planning on hitting the creature. ::

"Don't hurt!"

::Julie tackles down the elf and picks him up, holding him tightly so he won't escape.::

"Hey little guy!"

"Let me go! Let me go!"

::The elf screams and flails, trying to get away.::

"HELP!"

"I will, once you tell us where Santa took Melinda. I won't hurt you if you cooperate."

:: Lirie makes noises of distress as she's torn between thinking the elf is being hurt and the memory of Julie's kind embrace. Finally, she settles in trust of the latter. ::

"No, she's nice! Don't cry!"

"What's going on? What have you got there?"

::Paige stares at Julie's hands, seeing that she's grappling with something.::

"It's an elf. The toy building kind."

::Julie struggles a bit. Not wanting to crush it.::

"I'll die before I breathe a word!"

::The elf goes to bite Julie's hand.::

::Leo orbs in with the enigmatic Andrea, the enigmatic Chloe and the enigmatic Jasmine.::

"What's that?"

::Julie yelp and shakes her hand.::

"Son of a-!"

::She tightens her grip around the elf with her other arm.::

"Listen, dying is the least of your problems now. Where is he?"

::She grabs onto its leg and holds him upside down.::

::Andrea's eyes widen and she hops away, hiding behind Azura. The elf is creepy and she doesn't want to watch Julie be mean to it.::

(... this place smells good...)

:: Seeing the elf biting Julie's hand, Lirie furrows her brows and stompts her foot. She hurries over, taking advantage of the elf's upside down position, and pulls on his ears hard. Then, in case that is not enough, she also bites of them. ::

::Chloe wrinkles her nose at the sight of the elf... thing. She looks away, glancing around the room, breathing in the scent of chocolate and cookies and warm sweetness.::

::The elf shrieks and its head comes off in Lirie's hands, killing it.::

::From the looks of the mime act by Julie and Lirie, Paige guesses what's just happened.::

"Ooh..."

::She winces. Nasty.::