Replacement (Christmas Special) - Reindeer TF

T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house - you know what? No rhymes. Never liked them anyway.

The name's Dasher. I have lived with Santa at the North Pole for many years now. I still remember the day I became Santa's head reindeer.

It was Christmas Eve. My name used to be Kaleb. I was staying up late watching one of my favorite Christmas movies - A Christmas Story - when I heard a knock at the door.

Strange, I thought. I paused the movie and walked to the door.

I opened the door and saw no one. I looked down on the porch and saw a package. It was small and wrapped in fancy wrapping paper. The paper had a floral design on it with brilliant hues of blue, green, and red.

I picked up the parsel and shook it. Nothing moved in it. It wasn't particularly heavy.

As I shook it I felt something hit my head. I looked at the package and saw it was a tag.

It read: TO KALEB : FROM SANTA : DO NOT OPEN UNTIL 12:00 A.M. ON DEC. 25, 1994

I laughed. I knew the gift wasn't from Santa. Santa wasn't real.

I ripped the paper off and looked at the box. It was sealed with tape.

"I'll grab my knife," I said to myself, and I went into my room and picked up my Boy Scout pocket knife.

I pulled out the blade and cut the tape. I opened the box and saw a small black glove.

"Only one?" I said. "Darn UPS."

I took out the glove and saw a small note attached. It read:

DEAR KALEB:
I KNEW YOU COULDN'T WAIT. PUT THIS GLOVE ON AND GO OUTSIDE.
-S. CLAUS

"Wha?..." I said. I looked at the glove. It was smooth as silk and didn't look like it would keep my hand warm.

"Oh well," I said, and I put the glove on. Surprisingly, it was really warm. Soon the warmth filled my entire body.

"Wow..." I said. I didn't even think twice about stepping outside, for I was so warm nothing could make me cold.

That's when I noticed something odd. The glove seemed to be getting tighter. I looked at it and saw that it was pressing down on my skin. Fusing with it.

I watched in horror as my fingers contracted into my palm, which widened and thickened. It became hard and black, and I realized what I had now.

A hoof?!? I thought to myself. Suddenly I felt something like needles poking into my skin. Everywhere.

I cried out in pain and watched long, brown hairs grow out of my arm. My other hand began to turn into a hoof as well, and the hair started growing on my other arm.

"What is happening?!?" I cried out. The hair grew until I could no longer see my skin. My clothes ripped off because of all the hair.

I screamed again as I felt my feet hardening and blackening into hooves. My legs became thinner. My arms grew out, longer and longer, until they were the same hight as my legs.

I couldn't stand on two feet (well, hooves) anymore, and I fell to the ground on all fours.

My body grew more massive, and I became fatter, but not too much. My neck grew longer, and I felt a strong pulling sensation in my rear. I looked back and saw a small, fluffy tail growing out of my back.

I moaned in pain as hair sprouted from my face, covering my eyes. I felt my nose and mouth creaking outwards. It seemed to take forever for me to grow a muzzle.

"O... Ow..." Was all I could muster. I felt twinges on the top of my head. Something was growing there.

Antlers, I thought. They grew as I felt my ears flatten out and move to the top of my head.

After everything was over, I looked over myself, astounded.

"Oh, I'm glad to see that worked," came a voice behind me.

I wheeled round, only to trip on my new hooves. I wasn't used to my new form yet.

"Oh dear," said the voice.

I looked up, and my eyes widened. There was a really large man, wearing a red fur coat with white trim, a large black belt, and a hat with a white puffball at the end. His pants were red, and his boots as shiny and black as my new hooves.

He had a beard as white as snow, and a smile that could make even Ebenezer Scrooge laugh.

I was staring at Santa Claus. Old Saint Nick. Whatever you call him. He was standing before me.

"Look, I can explain," Santa said.

"Explain how I turned into a reindeer?!?" I asked.

"Yes," Santa said. "You see, my lead reindeer, Dasher, has, well, died."

"What?!?" I yelled.

"Shh!" said Santa. "Don't be loud! We mustn't wake the children!"

"But... how did Dasher die?" I asked.

"Unfortunate training accident involving lose reins," Santa replied. "Ah well. Anyway, I wanted you to take his place!"

"But... why me?" I asked.

"Because," said Santa, "you don't really have anything better to do, do you?"

I thought about it, and realized he was right. I really never did anything. I figured this might be a chance to do something special.

"Well..." I said. "Alright. I'll do it."

"Great!" said Santa. "Now, come here! I trust you can walk now?"

"I... I think," I said. It was a little difficult, learning to walk on all fours, but I figured it out in no time.

"Alright," Santa said. "Meet the other reindeer!"

I was looking at eight other reindeer, one with a very familiar red nose at the end of the line.

"Let's see," I said, and I started at the beginning of the line, working my way to the right. "Dancer?"

"Heyo," he said, smiling.

"Prancer?"

"'Sup?" He said.

"Vixon?"

"Hey."

"Comet?"

"Hello."

"Cupid?"

"Hi!"

"Donner?"

Donner didn't say anything. He merely nodded.

"Blitzen?"

"Hey."

"And... Rudolph!"

"Hiya!" Rudolph said, his nose brightening.

"Well, now that you're all acquainted," Santa said, "let's get going!"

Santa strapped me into a harness right next to Dancer.

"So," Dancer said, "you ever flown before?"

"Not in my life," I said.

"You're gonna love it!" Dancer replied. "It hardly takes any effort! You just have to run, and the magic bells will take care of the rest."

"Let's go!" Santa said, and I charged as fast as I could. We ran up the street, the bells started jingling, and we flew into the air.

It was an amazing feeling.

"Wow!" I screamed. "This... is... AWESOME!"

We rode onto rooftops and waited patiently for Santa to drop off his gifts. After all the houses in the world were taken care of, we took off into the air toward the North Pole.

"A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL," Santa cried, "AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"

<END>