December 25, 2009, had arrived, and Ron found himself feeling a little lonely. He glanced at his holographic bracelet, hoping to see Red Queen's familiar face.
Red Queen popped up, her holographic image sparkling with festive cheer. "Merry Christmas, sir!" she said, her voice bright and cheerful.
Ron smiled, feeling a little better. "Merry Christmas, Red Queen. You know, it's hard to believe it's already been over 2,000 years since we saw the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in the Roman era."
Red Queen nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, sir. Time really does fly when you're having fun. Or, in our case, when you're living forever."
Ron chuckled. "And I remember Sphinx, aka Anatha-na Muth, was there too. The chief wizard of Ancient Pharaoh Ramses the Second."
Red Queen's holographic image nodded. "Yes, sir. And if I recall correctly, he was quite the character. Wasted his immortality traveling around, doing the same old things over and over again."
Ron laughed. "Yeah, he was a bit of a bore, wasn't he? I mean, who wants to spend their eternal life watching the same old sunsets and visiting the same old ruins?"
Red Queen giggled. "Well, sir, at least he had some interesting encounters. Like the time he was defeated by Galactus."
Ron grinned. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. He's not exactly the most powerful being in the universe."
Red Queen's holographic image sparkled with amusement. "And then there's Varnae, the first blood-sucking vampire. Now, that's a guy who's really made the most of his immortality."
Ron shuddered. "Ugh, don't even get me started on him. I mean, why would anyone want to suck blood? It's just so... icky."
Red Queen laughed. "Well, sir, to each their own, I suppose. But yes, Varnae is definitely a unique individual."
Ron chuckled. "Yeah, and he's definitely a museum piece. I mean, who looks like they belong in a dusty old crypt?"
Red Queen giggled. "Well, sir, at least he's consistent. And speaking of consistency, it's only five months until Iron Man 2 . Are you excited to see it live-action?"
Ron grinned. "Oh, yeah. I've been waiting for this moment for years. Let's keep waiting and see what Tony Stark has in store for us."
Red Queen's holographic image sparkled with anticipation. "I'm looking forward to it, sir. It'll be fun to see what the Live Action has in store for us."