We begin with a little skit between two kids talking about Santa. Kid A
describes more of a Japanese take on Christmas stuff and Santa as he
talks about singing songs, eating cakes with strawberries, and going to
bed so that the white bearded Santa with a white beard will come bring
presents. Kid B's descriptions use more Latin American things as he
talks about Christmas plays, eating cakes that are more like round
pieces of bread, smashing piñatas and getting candy, and a long bearded
red lizard Santa coming to visit with presents. Both kids then call each
other's version of things weird.
White Ded then starts taking over narration and says if he were asked if he thought either version was weird or not, he would answer yes they are. He talks about how was like a child too once, one who knew nothing of the world beyond his own. White then asks if you'll listen to what he has to say, and if you can, he'd like you to laugh him off.
White starts talking about talks about a talented reindeer he knows who wants to be a Santa. When he first heard about this, he thought about how he couldn't give him guidance since he knew better than anyone how harsh and unforgiving that path is. To put it into plainer terms, White knew it was a dream that would invite unhappiness to either him or someone around him.
White then talks about how on the other hand, he didn't know what it was like when he was young, to be so passionate and sad about trying to attain something that you don't have. In the end his close friend got what he was looking for, but paid for it by disappearing. Ded lamented his young foolhardiness, and he regretted the events of seeking what one didn't have. It was these feelings that Ded wanted to prevent Yule from experiencing, the feelings that even if you reach for the sun you cannot reach for, all you'll be left with is pain. It was something he had always thought about.
But as Ded watched you, he started thinking that black and white aren't the only colors in the world. There are countless colors in between what people will accept and what they won't accept. Anyone can look at the sun and lose their eyes, and that would certainly be the brightest top of the hierarchy that shines in the world. But next to the brightest thing are things that are beautiful in a way that can't compare, full of different colors. And you were the one to show him that.
Title card pops up, and this chapter is called Merry Christmas to the Sun.
We then tune back into the present as narration reminds us that it's 11:30 pm of Christmas Eve, and the unsetting sun is starting to shine brighter than it ever has. Tomte is questioning what's happening and says the heat going on is unusual and comparable to a sauna's. Tanngrisnir brings up that Ded told him that Christmas should come back if the fake sun is broken, but Krampus points out that the sun is shining brighter than before as he asks if the plan has failed. Yule expresses concern for Ded.
Back to your side, Yasuyori asks what's happening since all the piñatas have been smashed. Doing so was supposed to connect to the belief that the unsetting sun would set. You wonder if there's still something missing, then suggest withdrawing for now and regrouping with the party. Yasuyori acknowledges this and brings his reindeer down.
When you two reach the ground, Andvari has joined the crowd and is baffled at how it's hotter than normal summer temperatures. Ryouta attempts to calm him down and suggests that they all talk over what's happening while Ded looks on, sad and quiet. You try to talk to Ded and wonder what IS going on. White starts suggesting that the problem is the faith that's filling Tokyo. The first possibility is that there just isn't enough people. The pastorelas were done to inform people Christmas is coming while the rosca de reyes was to get people's interest. When the piñatas get smashed, Christmas was supposed to come back. White suggests that maybe not enough people saw this, and Chouji points out there's tons of people here already.
White says it's not really about the number of people that knows and more about the ratio. He starts bringing up that what a majority of people believes in becomes the truth of the world, but then he backs off on that and just states that there wasn't enough people. You point out that people would more likely be looking down rather than up with this heat going on. Ryouta says he's been streaming a video of things, so he wonders if it isn't spreading fast enough on social media.
Itzamna thinks aloud about how to make more people believe in what your plan is supposed to do, and Ryouta freaks out at the idea that the video has to go viral over the whole city. Itzamna says that would be how it should go in theory the way things are, and Kengo interrupts and demands to know what to actually do. Ded says he doesn't know, which alarms Andvari. White says there is at least one thing that needs to be done, and that's breaking the fake sun piñata itself. Yasuyori is shocked at this suggestion and asks if that's actually possible. White doesn't answer.
Some time later, Itzamna asks Ded if he plans on going up himself. White answers that he is, saying that he's probably qualified to break the piñata with his power to divide things into black and white. Itzamna points out that they don't know what will come out of the piñata when it breaks and asks if he still plans on going anyway. White says he can't stand by and do nothing if Christmas won't come again. He also can't sit around if the sun might fall on Shirou, and above all, everyone is waiting for Christmas. If he doesn't go, someone else will. Ded then asks if Itzamna understands how he feels.
Itzamna asks if Ded is thinking that he doesn't want someone else to be sacrificed aside from himself. Ded confirms it, saying Itzamna must feel the same way, that if there's any danger, the oldest one around should face it. Ded then admits to feeling like he's been left behind by the times a long time ago, and all he has are dull and faded thoughts for guiding Santas of a new age. But if there's anything he can still do, he as Santa wants to do so. There are children waiting for him, and there is someone who follows/cares deeply about him, someone only he remembers.
White says everyone is waiting for Santa, so he'll devote himself fully to it. In doing everything that he can do, he wants to send his thanks to them all for remembering him. Itzamna sadly comments on that being why Ded would take on anything, and Ded is surprised Itzamna would say that, figuring Itzamna would have done the same thing. White laughs, saying it's just that the time has come for him to pay his dues, which Itzamna does not give a response to.
White opens his hand to reveal a faint gentle light, which narration says is the light of the Christmas miracle that is almost running out. He talks about how there are children still waiting for him, so he asks them to wait a little longer and promises to be there soon. You interrupt to grab Ded's arm and say you'll go with him. Ded asks in surprise why you're in such a rush, but then he figures it out after a moment and calls you such a troublemaker.
You ask Ded about him doing something about the sun, so you ask him to let you help him. White admits that it's possible that he or you could cut the fake sun, but he insists on not letting you get into danger. He argues that as an adult and as Santa, he has to protect children, but a voice interrupts to say that they'll protect you, their commander. Ded is surprised as Yasuyori, Ziz, and Chouji turn up, as are you as you call each of their names in turn.
Yasuyori tells you you're being formal, then asks you to order him to come with you. Ziz laughs as reminds you that you don't need to refer to her as Sensei for the day, then says she'll help you too. Protecting others is the one thing she's confident she can do, and she promises to protect everyone. Chouji says he's not sure what he can do, but he wants to help too. He owes a lot about his job to Santa for a long time now, so now is his turn to help out Santa and you.
White is surprised at everyone offering to help, and Itzamna is remembering something as he watches you guys from a bit away. He talks to himself about seeing this happening a lot back in El Dorado, something he could never forget. He tried to speak out back then, but no one listened, so all he could do was watch in regret. Someone young and close to him laughed and said they'd offer themselves up for the world, and this happened over and over. He looks on sadly, but you turn around and tell him he's wrong. He looks on curiously, so you go on and say this isn't El Dorado and that you aren't doing this for the world.
Itzamna starts thinking of someone he knew, and he starts thinking about whether resignation was all he had for his home world. There were people who would stand up to protect something, and he reminds himself that there were people who would charge out to protect someone. He also reminds himself that there was someone in El Dorado who tried to change the faith of the people using other methods. As he looks at you, he starts questioning whether you're Quetzalcoatl. A memory in the depths of his mind gets a new light cast upon it, a picture that had been covered in pure blackness of resignation.
Back to the present, Itzamna stops you guys for a second to ask to go along with you all. You thank him, and Itzamna tells Ded he won't let him sacrifice himself. Ded is surprised, and Itzamna starts talking about how there are things that they can do because they're faded old men. He also invites Ded out for tea after everything is over since he'd like to talk with him some more. Maybe they can be tea buddies and talk about their teaching styles.
Some time later, Itzamna mentions that he was told that the audience has been evacuated indoors due to the heat wave. The only people able to move around with the fake sun casting Sunny Day is anyone wearing the all weather model Santa suits. The majority of the people with those suits are the students at the Santa School getting ready for Christmas, which means in practice you guys are the only ones able to do something.
You comment on how amazing the suits are, then ask if there's a plan to go attacking the sun. White says it's an all or nothing plan, but for now you guys have the matter of belief settled. All that's left to do is to work together, so he'll be counting on you all. Yasuyori notices that the sun is starting to move, so he points everyone's attention to it. After a quick cut to the piñata, Ziz notes that it's coming closer and is surprised at how big it is. Yasuyori says it really does look like the sun.
Itzamna talks about how the piñata is filled with a Christmas miracle and comments on how so many people's wishes have gone into it. If it were a sun it'd naturally give off light, though he still finds the heat coming off of it to be remarkable. Chouji notes that the piñata is getting bigger, then wonders if it'll blow up like a piece of popcorn. White explains that the Christmas miracle will grow the more wishes people make, so it should make the thing easy to break at some point. Because of that, he says you guys need to show that Santa can bring the holy night back.
You ask if your actions are collecting the people's faith, and Itzamna starts talking about how people need to take action if they want to convey something. White prompts everyone to get going and tells the rest of the party to get on the specially prepared sleigh he's got prepared. You ask what he'll be doing and ask about there not being any reindeer, so White laughs and says Santa has a long history to draw on and decides to show a southern hemisphere form of Santa for the first time in a while. He walks into the water where a special surfboard pops up from somewhere, which he then gets on.
The Purple Evil runs up and chatters, and you are surprised by them asking to come along. Itzamna suggests taking them along since it seems like they want to do something here, which Ziz agrees with. Chouji says you guys need to go since time is running out, then decides to text Shirou in case he's worrying about the Evil. White starts wondering how long Black will be asleep since it's almost Christmas. He does think Black will get pissy about being left out if they go without him, and he laughs inside about what a handful he is. White then hopes he'll wake up soon since it feels like there's a hole in his heart without him. White then tells the party it's time to go, telling them to hold on tight. He also calls out to the power of Christmas, asking it to give him a miracle.
Ded rides a wave, then uses the inertia from it to start flying high and fast along with the sleigh. It's a sight that anyone would know: Santa riding into the sky. You are surprised that Ded is flying on a surfboard, and you note that he's pulling the sleigh with him. White laughs and tell you there was once a Santa competition in the south to deliver presents while riding a surfboard, which means he should be able to do that much. He then announces it's time to go take back Christmas, and the party affirms in unison.
Scene shifts to the Santa School where Krampus is worried about how it's only a few minutes left to Christmas and wonders if it'll be okay. Tanngrisnir says Ded ordered them to wait on standby, though he's getting restless from waiting. Tomte hopes Ded isn't pushing himself too hard, then wonders if he hurt his back. Yule then starts freaking out as he runs in and tries to get Tanngrisnir to look at a livestream he has on. Tanngrisnir asks what the big deal is, but he stops midsentence when he looks at what the whole school is watching: Ded surfboarding.
Back to your end, Ded asks for everyone to hang on tight. Ziz says her feathers will defend you guys, so she asks that people don't fall out of the sleigh. Yasuyori tells you guys to hang onto him then, saying he'll have the strength of a hundred guys if he has Chouji's food, which he's eating at the moment. Chouji for his part either cooking dishes up or handing over what he's already got on hand to Yasuyori and tells him to do his best, and the Evils babble excitedly.
You note that everyone is trying hard, but you guys aren't actually making progress and that time is short. White is struggling to move the party on his own and wishes Black was here to help. Itzamna starts talking to himself about how the party, which he refers to as the young and brave and the carriers of fortune, are in a dilemma. He desperately tries thinking what it is he can do in this situation when Ziz tries to call him over to her. Several impacts hit the sleigh, rocking it hard enough that Itzamna gets thrown out even with Ziz trying to grab him.
You try to get Itzamna as you call to him, leading Yasuyori to call out to you. White responds by changing course to start diving so that he can catch Itzamna, and Itzamna is saved soon after. Once he's back in he apologizes for the trouble and thanks you, and the party huddles together. Chouji is relieved he's okay while Ziz is a bit annoyed at the sudden fright, but she's still glad he's okay. Yasuyori has a bit of a cry worrying over you, unable to form a complete sentence.
Itzamna is quiet, surprised by what he sees. He's not focusing on the sun though, but the party all looking at him. You either try to talk to him or say you're glad he's okay, and narration starts pulling out Itzamna's thoughts. What did he come all this way to see even when all this vivid blue life was all around him? There's Ziz, someone who, like him, was born to be a cogwheel of the despair sent around the world, yet she kept her optimism. There's Chouji, who took the old customs he taught him and brought new colors to them, fearing no challenge. And there's Yasuyori, who gladly volunteered his body while showing him a new meaning in doing so. The different individual colors in this world shone, and Itzamna had simply never noticed. It was he who covered everything in the inky blackness of resignation.
Back to the present, Itzamna's scales shine as if washed by the rain. Small lights gather until it eventually covers the whole sleigh. Itzamna's voice rings out, calmly and quietly, and he then gives a small, peaceful prayer. He calls out to his creative power, asking it to draw all his art into the sky for so that it can be seen by everyone's eyes and hearts as he casts his NP. The light of his artifact (it doesn't say what it is) spreads through the sky, and camera cuts over to where Team Art School is as Benten points it out to Licht and Kuniyoshi. The picture Itzamna draws is the picture he had covered over with black ink, but with so many different lights hitting it now, it gives off a different impression.
People across the whole megaopolis of Tokyo look up at the sky, and their attention is drawn to the piñata. Back at the beach, Arachne compliments Itzamna's dedication to art. She hardly gave him a greeting when they first met, but now he has her full respect. It's her belief that a Creator's work is everything. Arachne then turns to Leanan Sidhe who is there and asks if any creative inspiration is coming to her. Leanan says she's moved to tears by how beautiful it is, saying that the timbre he got out of those colors is something he got from always shaving away at his life.
Eventually the party reaches the piñata, and Yasuyori voices his surprise at how the thing has gotten even bigger. Chouji is also surprised and says it's expanding even as he looks at it. Ziz says it's strange how she can feel something like the hopes filling the piñata and wonders why that is. Ded suggests it really is the hopes she's feeling, the hopes that people have that Christmas is coming. They've turned to light that's pouring out of the piñata, making it hot like the real sun. Ded then calls out to the party and says it's time to take one more step in to break the thing. You rally everyone together to break the piñata and take back Christmas, and everyone responds in acknowledgement as the episode battle begins. The story continues afterwards.
After the battle, things pick up midway as Chouji says it won't break. Yasuyori notes that even if your attacks are working the thing is huge, so you guys will need one decisive attack to get through. Itzamna tells you guys it's almost midnight, and Yasuyori reports that the piñata is coming towards you guys.
Ded turns to you and asks if you'll pass on his bag to someone
appropriate if anything happens to him. The light of a temporary
contract and artifact transfer starts linking between you two, and Ded
says he'd be happy if it went to someone who wanted to be Santa. Ded
then tells the rest of the party he'll be counting on you all to take
care of what happens later, prompting Itzamna to tell him to stop and
explain what he's trying to do. Ded however does not respond, then
separates himself from the sleigh as he heads towards the false sun. The
sleigh itself starts slowly gliding away from the piñata, and Ziz
starts calling after Ded, saying she has more she wants to learn from
him. Itzamna asks in alarm if Ded is going to charge himself with his
power and ram himself against the sun, which would put him point blank
in front of whatever bursts out of the thing.
You turn to Yasuyori and ask him to fly out with you towards the piñata. Yasuyori agrees to obey, then stuffs the rest of Chouji's food into his mouth. The faith imbued into the food by Chouji's artifact then gets transferred to Yasuyori's stomach, which gives him the power boost needed as he grabs you, then super jumps at the piñata. Meanwhile Ded starts talking about how his surfboard is a shapechanging artifact that belongs to him as Santa. If he slams it against the piñata, his power to divide things in black and white will activate, which is how he plans to break the thing. But soon after he's surprised by something he sees.
You call out to Ded saying you're coming to help. White is taken aback by this, but he sighs amused at how much of a troublemaker you are and says he can't let himself die now. A voice apologizes for oversleeping, then says they've recovered enough to move again. Black resurfaces, saying he couldn't come out earlier because he was worried about surfing practice, but he apologizes for the wait. He then tells White it's his job to be the one to finish things, and you realize Black is back.
White calls out his NP, calling it the artifact that can split things into black and white left to him by his friend. Black then flips back up and says it's Christmas, turning the artifact into a bunch of bullets that he blasts the piñata with. You and Yasuyori also activate your powers and throw them at the thing. You all think of each other as you protect one another, not with anger or grief, but with joy. A large hole is punched through the piñata shell, and cracks start forming over it as the episode half ends.
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