Vanessa had heard a knocking at her door, which was incredibly baffling. Given the nature of her home, house visits were rare, although not impossible. She was especially surprised when the only thing she saw on her doorstep was a singular blue hoodie.

“Hmm, not exactly my color…” she remarked, gently picking up the fabric. But she began to feel movement under her fingertips, surprised to see a face forming from the hood, facing her.

“Ah, good, I made it,” it said. “Could you, uh…set me down though?”

“Hmm?” Vanessa remarked. “Oh, of course, darling.”

She respectfully set the hoodie down, and immediately upon touching the ground, it began to warp and reshape. Fabric hardened into flesh, the zipper and decals vanishing in favor of a basic shirt now filled in by human anatomy. It was expanding rapidly into a more maneuverable shape, and eventually the hoodie was replaced by a grinning person.

“It’s me, Alex,” they explained. “I had heard you were decorating and needed a bit of help. So I figured I'd offer my services, get a bit extra funds for the holidays.”

“I could always use a shapeshifter's skills,” Vanessa chuckled. It was rare to have someone willingly assist her machinations, but not unpleasant. She led Alex in, encouraging the shifter to approach the tree.

“You’ll be more than adequately paid for your time, of course,” she remarked. “Although the task I would need you for may require an extensive period of patience, as well as mild discomfort. Would you be alright with this?”

Alex shrugged. “I’ve fared worse,” they said. “Just tell me what you want me to be.”

Vanessa examined her book carefully, tracing her finger across the pictures carefully. “You know, I'm unsure,” she said. “This is my first time decorating for the season, you see.”

Eventually Alex placed their own finger on the picture of the tree, noting the small circles on it. “That’s one thing you might need,” they remarked. “Baubles. You have the candy cane, but you could use baubles.”

“Are they similar to crystal balls?” Vanessa asked, unsure. It was rare to see Vanessa not self-absorbed, doubly so in legitimately not understanding what something she encountered was. Alex, being the kind soul they were, gave a small smile.

“It’s similar,” they said. “But all they do is just hang on the tree and look nice. And I'm pretty sure I can keep up that sort of form for however long you need it for the holidays.” They did, however, point a little. “Just don't drop me or anything.”

“You have my word,” Vanessa nodded. Alex seemed satisfied with that answer, giving a nod.

“Then just watch and observe,” they said, diving at the tree. Within a flash, they solidified into a glass-like form, hardening, rounding out into a spherical shape. Their arms and legs vanished entirely, as did most of their body, leaving just their face visible on the surface. Within a second, Alex was a small bauble, already hanging upon the tree’s branches, gently swaying before remaining still. They grinned.

“This sort of thing never gets old,” they said. “Granted, I prefer cloth objects, but a job's a job, right?”

“It’s appreciated,” Vanessa agreed, giving a light smile. “You’ll do wonderfully there, darling.”