AU: Worldswap (aka An Altered Tale) (This AU is probably going to be used for most of these lol)

Context: When Orange was a kid, Red sees a teaching moment when they have to let go of some old decorations.

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[Red's POV]

"Aw no, it got to the stockings..." Orange says, saddened, holding up our two Christmas stockings that were wrecked by the damage. They're all torn up and soaked.

There had been part of the garage door that caved in, and the snow landed on a few boxes. We were just been going through the few boxes that were affected so we could see what decorations we need to replace, and well... looks like we have to lose these old things.

"It's okay Orange, we can just get new ones. Those were really old anyway, we've had them for a long time." I say, comforting him. "We can go to the store after this and pick up new stockings. You can pick yours out, too."

"But... I don't want to replace them." Orange says. "We've had these as long as I can remember, and I really like them..."

He stares at the destroyed wool stockings, holding them as if they'd fall apart at any second. I sigh, and place my hand on his shoulder. Orange looks up at me.

"Sometimes, it's better to let go of things, little buddy. That way you know the new things you get that replace them can do better than the last." I explain. "And it's not like they're gone forever; as long as you remember them, those old things are still there. Just in the form of a memory rather than something you have."

"Really?" Orange asks. "How?"

"Well..." I start. "I used to have a few old friends, way before you were born. We were all close, and we even worked together for a while. They were my best friends. Practically a second family."

"What happened to them?" Orange says.

"There was... an accident at our workplace. It changed everything... even some of those friends. Sure, most of them stayed the same, but a few of them changed because of it... changed for the worse. And some friends I lost because of that accident. In the end, a lot of us ended up splitting up from each other. But... I still remember those friends. And since I do, that means they haven't really left."

"What about the friends that changed? Didn't they start being mean?" Orange asks.

"Hm, well... yes, they did." I answer. "But, instead I remember when they were good people. It doesn't mean that I should overlook what they turned into, of course. Who they used to be is a big part of myself, and so I don't forget that part of me, I remember their better times. It's kind of the same as forgiving, but not forgetting."

"That's really cool!" Orange exclaims.

"Darn right it is." I say. "Now, since that was the last box we had to look through, why don't you put on all your snow gear so we can go to the store and pick some new decorations and stuff?"

I grin and lean down to Orange a bit.

"Maybe you could even get a stocking bigger than that one, since it was kind of little." I chuckle.

"I can get a bigger stocking?!" Orange says, quickly placing the two old ones back into the box.

"If you get to the car on time." I smile.

Orange quickly rushes off back into the house, excited. I pick up the old box and move it to a more secure side of the garage. As I turn to leave, I notice a picture frame sticking out from under the stockings. I pick it up to get a better look, and...

It's an old photo of all of my friends, from all those years ago.

"Heh, hard to believe it's already been a decade since then..." I mumble.

Even though the glass is cracked and the frame is broken on one of the sides, I place the old picture on the work desk I have in here and put some tape on the frame so it'll hold until I can get a new one for the picture. I can probably get one at the store while replacing those decorations...

"DAD, C'MON!" I hear Orange yell through the house.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I answer, laughing. "Hold your horses, little guy!"

As I walk to the door, I glance at the picture again. I know I'm not going to see most of them again, but... heh, I should remember my own lessons.

As long as you remember them, they're still there.