Nina's day had been so long and it wasn't even over yet and, like, she was (in her heart of hearts) almost glad that she didn't have to teach today because she was deeply frazzled.

And still sort of sulky that Shunsui hadn't had any sake on him that he'd been willing to give her. Rude, Shunsui. She deserved it.

Research, though, had given her a lot to work with and Nina knew that she was most likely the best researcher they had, modesty aside, except for possibly Elizabeth (who'd just turned back from a louse) because if Shunsui had done more than look a pretty pictures, well, she'd be surprised. Prompto, bless him, was doing his best but she could tell that it was killing him to just sit and go through books. Tip, well, she didn't know much about Tip (at least, not more than she knew about anyone) and Tip did work in the library… and it wasn't really a competition anyway……………

Still, Nina was determined to figure this out.

Tip had had a point with the whole first wave of an invasion thing, but as the day wore on, Nina felt less and less certain of that particular idea. The presents hadn't felt impersonal. They weren't being terrorized with visions of what was happening to those who'd been taken. Instead she kept coming back to that stupid, ridiculous song that didn't even suit what was happening and yet…

It felt closer.

"Kidnap the sandy claws indeed," she muttered to herself, too low for anyone for anyone else to hear. Only it was the sandy claws doing the kidnapping, wasn't it? Who else had given the gifts? Who else was sowing discord and spreading fear and ruining the peace and joy of…

Wait.

Waitwaitwait. Maybe they were going about this wrong.

Nina dove back into the books with a renewed sense of energy.

It was incredibly stupid. It really was. It was a ritual that, like, was so barebones that it wasn't even a ritual, really, but Christmas wasn't about defeating anyone. It was about family, joy, and coming together.

Nina stared at the song she'd found.

"Guys," she said raising her voice, "I think I've got something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"I haven't found anything about that," Nina admitted, "but, like, I did find a way to possibly make this place completely unsuitable for what's going on???????????????????"

"It's a funny word for, like, getting rid of something like this," Nina said, sliding the book closer to Tip. "But, like, look at this???????????????? All we've got is gifts and kidnapping and ruining what should be a good time of year????????????? This ritual, like, takes all the good feelings and how it's supposed to be and amplifies it……………. which should make it terribly hard for the whatever-it-is to stick around????????????????? Like, either it'll flee or it'll come out of hiding and we can stomp it???????????????"

It also meant they'd have to sing a super silly song. But. Okay.

Nina grimaced too.

"It's not my first idea," she admitted, "but it's the first one I've found that seems like it might work……………."