Scott Calvin & the Very Bad Day.

Author's notes. I do not own the characters. Disney owns them. I am just borrowing them.

This is a story based on the Santa Clause movies. It's a one shot and most of the action occurs before the first movie. What if Scott and Charley's first encounter with elves happened earlier.

Chapter one

Scene 1:

Friday, April, 3rd, 1992, was a great day for the people in Chicago. There was a deep blue color shining in the sky. There was birds singing in the trees. Everywhere you looked you saw the people happily going about their business day. Everybody except one of the executive at the local toy factory.

"But Sir, I can't go to the Toy Fair on Monday. Its my vacation time next week. I promised to take my Son, Charlie, to Disney World on Monday." Grumbled a the tired toy executive.

"I'm sorry Scott, but the company has a booth at the Lasco Toy Fair and no one to man it on Monday." answered back his boss.

"I thought you had Bob and Angela managing the booth this year."

"Bob was to man it on Monday. Angela was supposed to man it on Tuesday after she gets back from her sky trip. Bob is having a permanent vacation." Mr. Biddle sighed. "We caught him skimming from the books. You're the only one that I can send that knows all the new toys we have out this year. Why don't you take the kid with you. What is a better place to entertain a kid than at a toy fair."

"But I can't sir." He protested.

"You've no choice in the matter, Calvin. You're going to the fair or you will find employment elsewhere."

'Oh great. Laura is going to kill me for another broken promise to Charlie. But this time it's not my fault. Its my tyrannical boss. I'll get him back. When Laura kills me, I'll haunt him from the grave.'

April 3rd ,1992, was also a great month for a town further North. There was the frosty white that shone from its domed sky. The snow was falling on the small hidden town of Elfsburg.. Everywhere you looked you saw the town's little occupants going cheerfully about their business day. Everybody except a certain duo.

"No Curtis. You're not going to the Lasco Toy Fair." said Bernard the taller of the two.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't be able to go." Answered the smaller.

"One, you're too young and don't have your teleportation powers yet. Also, you aren't qualified to fly the elfpacks. Second, going to a toy fair in hopes of stealing toy designs is just plain wrong. I'm sorry but no you can't go."

"I asked for you to give me one good reason not two." Huffed Curtis.

Curtis pondered the problem before him and said. "First of all. I can ride one of the reindeers. I've been involved with some of their training. They trust me. Second, I am not stealing toy designs. I am only going there to get their input in new techniques of toy design. Our toys have gone stale. They are still from the Victorian era."

"Santa was from the Victorian era. The answer is still no!" Bernard exclaimed. Their current Santa, Rupert Sandburne had been born in 1899.

"I am the experimental elf at the North Pole. It is my duty to make sure our toys are superior to the ones in the mortal world. The children have become more sophisticated. The age in which a child stops believing in us is getting younger and younger all the time. " Curtis raised his hands exasperated.

Bernard stopped in his tracks as he pondered the younger elf's words. "You're right. I've seen the amount of our magic disappear steadily each year. I'll try to clear it with Santa."

Scene 2:

Monday, April 6th, 1992 had arrived and Scott entered the Lasco Toy Fair. His four year old firmly in tow. Charlie had been disappointed that he was not going to Disney World. His ex at first had a first not wanted Charlie to accompany him but she could not deny him his visitation right. Besides she and her new Boyfriend, Neil, had already made plans to go diving in the Keys.

He sat Charlie down in the corner of the booth. He opened the big crate of B. & R. toys and handed a toy fire engine from the crate to the boy. 'If people see a real child playing with a one of our toys they will be more likely to order them for their stores.'

"Here you go Charlie. You can play with this while Daddy works. It has working headlights and sirens." Scott told the boy.

"Thanks Dad." Charlie said as he put the engine down at his feet. "I'll use it with some of the toys Santa gave me last Christmas." Charlie pulled out his favorite teddy bear out of his backpack. He placed it on top of the fire engine and began to race both around the booth.

"That's good. Charlie." Scott sighed as he began to unload the rest of the B. & R. toy line into the booth's shelves. He noticed that the convention center had hired a group of college kids to dress up as elves to work the floor selling concessions to the fair's patrons.

Bernard teleported himself and Curtis to the Lasco Toy fair. Curtis looked down at his watch when it started beeping. It was the 9:00 A. M. alarm that the fair was opening.

"Here's your ticket and ID badge. Don't lose them. I'll be back for you at 9:00 this evening."

"Okay. Okay. Stop being a mother hen, Bernard. I can handle myself."

"You'd better." Bernard grunted to himself before he disappearing in a shower of red and green sparkles.

Curtis made his way around the convention site and shook his head at the cheap plastic toys that appeared at most of the toy booths. At the last booth he stopped at he complained about the cheap quality he saw everywhere.

"Look kid you're getting on my nerves." Said the Armarale toy distributor. "Most people say the want quality but are not willing to pay for it. Go bug someone else for a change."

Curtis looked down at his watch after it beeped. ' It's nearly twelve o' clock . The convention is going to close for its two hour lunch break. I still haven't found any toys that I can write home about.'

He stopped by the cotton candy vendor that was located by the fountain. He asked the teenager manning the booth for some the blueberry cotton candy.

"Sorry kid we are all out. I just turned off the unit and it won't be turned on again until after 2:00."

'Just my luck. Nothing to eat and no toys.'

He stopped and noticed one booth that seemed to have a huge crowd standing in front of it. Curtis moved forward and read the name. 'B. & R. Toys'

He walked over to the booth and tried to get a peek at the toys on the counters but kept being jostled by the crowds. Suddenly he heard a voice from the booth's occupant.

"Sorry folks but I need to close the booth. We'll be open again at 2:00 after the lunch break."

After the crowds had thinned, Curtis could get a better look at the toys. 'No cheap plastic there. I just wished I could get a better look at the toys assembly.'

He moved over to the booth's operator. "Hello sir, my name is Curtis. Can I help you with anything?" He asked. "I can guard your booth until you and the little boy had your lunch." He indicated the boy sleeping in the corner of the booth.

Scott paused and pondered the elf. "Aren't you a little young to be an elf. College kids get younger and younger all the time."

"I am the right age to be an elf." He answered indignantly.

Charlie awoke and smiled with delight. "Dad it's an elf. My name is Charlie Calvin and this is my Dad, Scott Calvin. He's a toy designer."

"Of course it is an elf, Charlie. The convention has hired them. I told you that. Get your backpack in order and I will take you to McDonald's."

The boy frowned at his father. "I don't mean those fake elves. I mean he's a real elf. I don't want to go. I want to stay here and play with the elf."

"Sir, If I may I think I have a solution to your problem. I will bring you a nice lunch for you and the boy. That is if you show me your wonderful toys that you have on display in exchange. I'm a bit of a toy inventor myself." He bragged.

Charlie yelled. "Yeah Dad. Please say yes."

Scott frowned. He knew that his boss didn't want him to leave the booth for any reason including lunch.

"Okay genius. You have a deal."

"I'll be right back with your lunch sir."

Curtis walked into a broom closet and conjured up a food cart. It was filled with a turkey with dressing, sweet potato pie, a glazed ham, large green salad and Christmas cookies. He pushed it over to the booth.

Scott looked at the spread. "How much is this going to cost me."

"Nothing sir. I only require a look at your toys." smiled the elf.

Scott fixed two plates for Charlie and himself. The two sat down in their chairs and began to eat.

"This is good food, Curtis. Do you have anything to drink."

"Yes sir. We have hot cocoa." He said getting a large thermos filled with hot cocoa from the cart.

Charlie's face frowned. "I wish it was lemonade. Its too hot for hot cocoa." He complained.

Curtis pointed his finger at the thermos.

"Did I say cocoa. I meant to say lemonade." as he poured their drinks.

Scene 3:

"Okay a deal's a deal. What would you like to see first, Curtis."

Curtis pointed to the doll on the highest shelf.

"You play with dolls?" Scott asked.

"No sir but I know somebody who makes dolls."

"She is one of our new state of the art models. She talks. My team & I designed her. She can understand over 500 word s that the average child might say."

The boy in front of him smiled and began writing down notes in his small little book. This continued with every toy that was shown in the booth.

"Mr. Calvin. I think you are one of the best toy designers that I have seen lately. When I get these notes back to my boss, I am sure he would agree."

Scott perked up suddenly. "What notes Curtis?"

"The notes and sketches that I made on your toy designs to show my boss. You know. The Big Guy in charge."

Scott Calvin just stared at the blond haired boy in front of him. 'The boy has been hired by one of our competitors to steal B. & R. designs. He just isn't smart enough to pull it off.'

Scott stood up and walked over toward the small elf.

"Okay, Curtis. Hand over your notes." He gestured toward the book.

"No. You promised that I could see your toys." He complained.

"That's before I knew that you were stealing our toy secrets. Hand me the book and I won't have you arrested."

"My boss needs these notes for his toy factory."

"My boss needs for your notes not to go to your toy factory." Scott made a grab for the book.

Curtis led out a shriek and ran down the aisles with Scott close on his heels. Charlie ran after his father crying.

"Dad. Its alright. Santa needs your designs."

Curtis continued to run down the aisles. As he did he screamed for Bernard to save him. He ran past the cotton candy machine and the elf manning it. Fear gripped him as he heard the footsteps of the mad toy designer still in pursuit.

"Curtis Watch Out!" He heard Bernard yell. Before he realized it he had tripped into the center's fountain.

Curtis stopped and looked back toward the candy machine and saw Bernard standing there eating some pink cotton candy.

"Watch out Bernard. Mad toy designer at 12:00." He pointed over Bernard's shoulder.

Bernard just smiled and pointed his finger at the candy machine. A huge mass of cotton candy shot out and covered Scott stopping him in his tracks.

Bernard went over to the now wet Curtis. "This had better be worth it. You know how the boss is going to feel about this."

"It is trust me. I have the notes right here in my notebook." Curtis pulled out the notebook and handed it over to him.

"Curtis. The notebook is all wet and the ink has run. There is no way we can read any of these sketches. Come on where going home."

Scott Calvin had just managed to get the cotton candy out of his eyes when he saw Curtis and another elf disappear in a shower of sparkles.

He shook his head to clear it. "This is just not my day. The food here must have been spiked."

Scene 4: Five years later.

It was November 29th, 1997 at the North Pole and Scott Calvin AKA Santa Claus was doing his daily inspections. He paused when he heard his high elf arguing with another elf that he had not noticed before. 'He seems familiar somehow.'

"No Curtis. You can't go to another toy fair. You remember what happened last time. That man almost caught you."

Santa walked up to the pair. "Bernard, What seems to be the problem here."

"Nothing Santa. Its just Curtis wants to go to an up-coming toy fair out in the mortal world. I told him nothing good comes out of those things. You should have seen what happened to him at the Lasco Toy Fair of 1992. It was embarrassing."

Curtis nodded. "A mad toy maker almost caught me. If it hadn't been for Bernard, I would have been toast."

Santa stared at the new elf. "So Curtis did the mad toy maker have a name?"

"Yes sir. His name was Scott Calvin. He's on the naughty list this year, isn't he?" Curtis asked.

Bernard paled and had a deer in the light expression when he heard Curtis say the name Scott Calvin. He brought his hand up to his hands up to his mouth in a 'OH NO!' gesture.

Santa gazed at his head elf sternly. "I only have one questions guys. Which one of you attacked me with the cotton candy."

Curtis looked up at his new boss and realized why the new Santa looked so familiar.

He jumped up and pointed his finger at Bernard and shouted. "It was him. He attacked with the cotton candy machine."

"Bernard is this true." Santa asked.

The high elf glared at the younger elf. "Yes Santa. I'm the one who turned on the cotton candy machine on you."

Santa smiled and laughed. "Its okay Bernard. I can laugh about the incident now. "

He turned to Curtis. "Curtis. I don't want you going to anymore toy fairs. Toy companies put a lot of time and effort into their toy designs. They have enough problems with Chinese knock offs. They don't need us stealing their designs too. I'm a toy designer and I have my own ideas in which to improve the factory. I want you to help me do it. As of now I want you to be Bernard's assistant."

"Thank you Santa." said Curtis beaming.

"You're punishing me for the cotton candy incident. Aren't you?" Bernard said with a sour look on his face.