Merry (late) Christmas everyone! So here is the Christmas special that I had been working on during the holdiays, and I'm sure that just by the title you all will know which Christmas tale this special takes on.

Not much else to say for now, so onto the SPECIAL!


A Dustmas Carol

Cardin S. Winchester had always been known as many things throughout his life. A racist, bully, self-serving, distrustful, a non-caring human being with no heart. Most of those things were true, but not the last one. Of course he cared for many things, and he did infact have a heart, as twisted and small as it may be, but that never bothered him.

However, what he cared about most people would find terrible and self-serving.

Lien (the most important) and being alone, because he despised others. Especially when Dustmas came around this time each year.

He might have been all those things that people call him behind his back, but if there was one thing that he took pride in during Dustmas, it was being a scrooge.

He held a deep hatred for the holiday season every year for as long as he could remember.

"Spending time with family and giving gifts? Bah humbug." Cardin muttered to himself within his warm office while counting his latest profit. "Who needs family when you have lien?" Letting out a small, bitter laugh, Cardin took a moment to check up on his clerk Jaune C. Arc, who was trying to place an extra piece of coal into the fire oven.

"Arc!" He bellowed from within his office. The young man nearly dropped the precious piece of coal as he was startled at Cardin's shouting.

"What were you exactly planning on doing with that piece of coal?"

"I-I was just g-going to place it into the oven. To make i-it a little bit warmer… sir. It's terribly cold in this office and I thought I could warm myself up a bit." His teeth were chattering slightly and Cardin could faintly see his breath, frosted over by the cold air.

Ignoring his clerk Cardin warmly asked, "Were you now? Well why don't you take a few extra pieces and warm yourself up a bit lad?"

The look of surprise quickly turned into one of joy as the blonde man stuttered a bit saying, "R-really Mr. Winchester?"

Cardin gave him a fake smile, but that smile soon turned to an angered expression as Cardin shouted, "OF COURSE NOT! Do you realize how expensive coal prices have been rising this year alone?! Put that piece of coal back right now and get back to work Arc!"

The joy that was once held inside the man's eyes died and was replaced with disappointment as he placed the coal piece back into a bucket waiting on top of a stool. Returning back to his small, oak desk Jaune continued his work in the cold.

It was almost closing time, and Cardin was going to start to pack up for the night and head home. Just as he was putting away his papers, a few knocks were heard from the front door.

Arc looked up from his work and would have gotten the door if Cardin hadn't sent him a glare that told him to keep working. "Bah, who could be knocking at this hour?" Cardin muttered as he reached the door.

Opening the door he was greeted with the sight of two gentlemen. One a human man with blue hair, and the other with sandy blonde hair and a… monkey tail.

'Great, a man and his pet animal.' Cardin thought in spite as he begrudgingly asked, "May I help you sir?" He was addressing the blue haired man whilst ignoring the Faunus entirely. Neither took appreciation to his lack of acknowledgement towards the male Faunus, but Cardin didn't give a crap.

The blue haired man coughed into his fist and said, "Hello sir. How are you this evening?"

"Tired, sore, cold, and cranky. Now did you have a point in coming to my business, or not?" They were trying to get him buttered up, and in Cardin's mind that told him only one thing.

Charity collectors.

A shiver went down his spine as he now figured out their mission, and that was to squeeze out as much lien from him to give to those who didn't try hard enough to make it in this world.

Pulling at the neck of his collar, the blue haired man said, "Well, we came here to see if you would care to donate to our charity fund for humans and Faunus who aren't as fortunate as others. We plan to provide them all dinner for Dustmas this year. So please man, show some kindness to those that need it."

Cardin couldn't hold it in anymore as he let out another cruel, bitter laugh. It took him a moment to calm down before he furrowed his eyebrows before saying, "Provide for the poor? What have the poor ever done for me except beg for food, or ask for lien so they could go and waste it all on booze to drink their misfortunes away?!"

Both men seemed taken aback by his statement, but neither said anything as Cardin scoffed and continued.

"Besides, why should I help feed both humans and animals?" This time the blue haired man had taken a step back in shock. From the corner of his eye, Cardin saw the look of horror on Arc's face, but one side glance sent the man back to his work.

When he focused his attention back on the two in front of him, the animal had narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows a bit before finally speaking up.

"Listen asshole. There are orphans and desperate folks out there who really need this dinner if they're going to survive into next week." The animal was getting up in his face, but he had to look up as Cardin himself stood at least half a head taller.

"Well then, why didn't you say so? I'll make sure to throw away the carcass of my Dustmas turkey in the trash. That way they'll have an easy time eating out of the garbage like the animals that they are. Will that help?" That had brought a satisfactory smirk to his face as the monkey Faunus backed down.

"Come on Neptune. We're not getting anything out this inconsiderate pig. Let's go." The Faunus motioned for his companion to follow and the man did. Just before they left the blue haired man, Neptune, turned around and spat, "Merry Dustmas jerk."

"Bah humbug!" He shouted after them. "Good riddance." Slamming the door Cardin headed back into his office, but not after sending a warning glance to his clerk.

Not even two minutes had passed by before another knock had interrupted Cardin as he shouted, "Will no one leave me alone!" But just as he was about to get up from his desk again, the door had opened and in came his nephew, Sky.

Born from his dearly loved, but sadly deceased sister Penny, Sky is Cardin's last living family member.

"Hello uncle! Merry Dustmas, and to you to Jaune!" He shouted with jolliness that Cardin couldn't help but cringe at.

"Hello Sky." The scrooge greeted with barely any effort on his part. It didn't affect him nephew in the slightest however as he came running into Cardin's office, almost knocking down the bucket of coal.

"Careful you idiot! Now what brings you here on Dustmas eve?" Cardin asked with a hint of curiosity at his nephew's actions.

'Shouldn't he be spending time with that animal he calls a wife?' Cardin thought as Sky slowly closed the door to his office with care after his uncle's outburst.

"Terribly sorry uncle, but I was so overjoyed to deliver my invitation to you!"

"Invitation? What are you on a about boy?"

"Uncle, I formally invite you to my Dustmas dinner party. Would you please come? You never spend time with your family and I think that this year you should spend as much time as possible before you lose your chance."

Cardin scoffed again as he replied. "A Dustmas dinner, with you and that animal of yours? I would rather be alone this Dustmas, as I do every year, than do such a thing." The joy died a little in his nephew's eyes, and his smile lowered a bit at his uncle's rejection to the invitation, but the young lad didn't give up.

"Come on uncle, you just have to come to dinner with me! You would have a grand old time I assure you. There will be dancing, games, and food. What sane person wouldn't want to enjoy such entertainment and fun?"

Cardin huffed at his foolish nephew's question. "That sane person would be me, and you won't get me to change my answer. Now off with you Sky."

"But… we're family uncle-" It was at this point that Cardin had enough.

Giving the boy his full attention and regarding him with one of the most intense glares he could muster Cardin said, "Family?! You lost the right to call yourself my family when you went off and married that Faunus wench! How can you love something that is so underneath you?!" Cardin shouted as he got up from his chair and was marching towards Sky, who in turn was backing up until his back hit the front door.

"Uncle please, I-"

"No. You will not call me by that title from this moment in time till the day of my death. Do you hear me boy?" Cardin's face was only a few inches away from Sky's, so close that he could see both the disappointment and hurt in his eyes.

Neither affected Cardin as he opened the door and pushed Sky out into the cold snow. Looking back to his uncle one last time Sky muttered something.

"M-merry Dustmas… Mr. Winchester." A smirk crossed over Cardin's face as he said, "And a bah Humbug to you as well sir." With that the door was slammed into his nephew's face and Cardin trudged back into his office while completely ignoring Arc's look of pity for his worthless nephew.

Closing time had come and Cardin was getting ready to head home when Arc came up to his desk.

"Umm, sir may I ask you something?"

"Spit it out." Cardin was feeling too tired to deal with anything else and just wanted to go to bed, but he would hear the man out.

"Thank you sir. I was hoping that you wouldn't mind if I took tomorrow off. You know, for Dustmas?" This had caught the bitter man off guard, and he almost reared on his clerk before stopping himself.

Taking a moment to think on it, Cardin said, "…Fine Arc. I'll allow you to take tomorrow off, but just so you know I'll be cutting that day's salary off your next payment Arc."

Cardin was surprised to see the look of happiness on his clerk's face as the man ran up and hugged him. Quickly shoving him off Cardin waved him out.

"Thank you Mr. Winchester! Thank you so much sir." Arc was heading out the door by then before saying, "And a merry Dustmas to you as well!"

He couldn't even yell 'humbug' after his clerk as the door was shut.

'Well, time to head home…'

He had just arrived home. After hanging up his coat and dressing himself in his night shirt, Cardin sat himself down in his big (empty) living room.

A fire was slowly cracking as it burned away on top of the few logs he had set down. Wrapping himself around in a blanket and eating a stew so cold he could barely taste it, Cardin felt right at home.

It was almost midnight, and Cardin was getting ready for bed when he heard something.

*Click-clack* *Click-clack*

"Chains?" Cardin asked himself, but jumped within his chair as he heard a long moan coming from the door that led to the living room.

The chains and moaning were drawing closer, and all Cardin could do was wait to see who, or what was causing the racket.

When the sounding of chains and moans was heard right outside the door, Cardin drew his blanket halfway over his face as he eyed the door with fear filling his heart.

But the noise had stopped.

After a moment, then two, Cardin lowered the sheets and uttered a small, "Hello?"

It was at that very moment that a man, no a specter, popped up from the floorboards right in front of him!

"Aaaahhhhh! A spirit!" Cardin drew the covers completely over his head this time, hoping the ghost was just a bad illusion from his cold stew.

"Wiiiiinnnnchhessterrr. Wiiiiinnnnchhessterrr!" It roared as Cardin tried to hide underneath his blanket while whimpering slightly.

From underneath the cover of his blanket he asked fearfully, "W-why have you v-visited me s-spirit?!"

"Cardin Winchester!" It bellowed so loud he was afraid that his eardrums would burst.

"Who are you?!"

"Your old business partner. RUSSEL M. THRUSH!" It was then that Cardin had the courage to lower the blanket just enough so that only his eyes could see the spirit.

To his utter surprise (and horror) it was indeed his deceased business partner Thrush. He wore a ruined version of the suit that he was buried in; the strange hair style that Thrush always wore was drooping slightly over his scalp, and where his one gold tooth normally was, was replaced with a decayed version.

"Wh-why are you here T-Thrush?" Cardin managed to get out as he continued to observe the spirit of his dead partner. The ghost levitated off of the ground somewhat, but was held in place by three chains that linked him to the same rusty metal box that he used to placed his lien in.

"I have come with a warning for you Winchester."

"A warning?" Cardin asked with genuine curiosity as the spirit nodded his head, which caused all the teeth to rattle around within his mouth.

"Do you want to know how I got these chains Winchester? From living a life of greed and selfishness. And now I am cursed to wander this earth for all eternity, unable to help my fellow man or Faunus, and must drag these chains which keep me here." Thrush explained.

It horrified Cardin thinking that a fate like that could await a person, but he didn't believe it. "It was the stew! That is why I am having these illusions. It must be."

The spirit shook his head, which in turn caused his hair to move with the action.

"You will be visited by three spirits this night. Each who will accompany you on your journey to realize your greed and selfishness. And hopefully overcome them."

"No! You are not real, and I am only dreaming! There will be no spirits to visit me and I will wake tomorrow to daylight." Cardin was starting to become slightly hysterical, but he held himself together as the spirit continued to talk.

"This is your one and only chance at redemption Winchester. Otherwise you shall meet the same fate as I, but only with even longer chains that you yourself forged throughout your life."

At this the spirit of Russel M. Thrush flew out of one of the windows that were within the living room, and Cardin rushed himself over to see where if the spirit had fallen down.

Instead, the ghost flew from the ground up and into the starry night sky. And the scene presented to Cardin almost gave him a heart attack.

A countless number of ghosts filled the night sky; each with their own chains that bound them to their greed. He noticed a spirit float downwards towards the street below where a Faunus mother and her babe sat in the cold snow.

The spirit tried to try to grab the child to help keep it warm, but its arms passed right through both shivering Faunus. Cardin looked up again and saw Thrush floating in front of the shattered moon. He looked directly back at Cardin before shouting, "Three spirits Winchester! Three spirits visit you tonight!"

Cardin slowly backed away from the window and ran to his bedroom.

Sleep did not come easily as he lay awake within his bed. Looking around the dark room, Cardin flinched at each shadow that moved; being cast by the moon's light coming through each window.

After almost an hour of failing to fall asleep, Cardin finally felt his eyelids grow heavy and begin to close. However, they were wide awake once again as a blinding yellow light filled his bedroom!

"Aaaahhh! Wh-who goes there?" He asked weakly as his eyes adjusted to the light and he slowly opened his eyes.

Who, or what, stood before him must have been one of the spirits that he was warned about earlier. It took on the shape of a man wearing an outfit that Cardin could only describe as a knight's armor.

Green tuffs of fur lay on both shoulders and the arms were covered in chainmail. White cloth covered the whole of the spirit's chest with an adorned yellow and red sun on the chest where a small face was painted on. The spirit wore a bucket-shaped helmet atop its head where a small red feather sprung from the top right of the helmet. Metal grieves covered the legs from the knee down, and more chainmail could be seen above the knee.

After getting over both the presence of the spirit and its appearance Cardin asked in a slightly shaky voice, "Are you the first spirit?"

The spirit looked at him as if it just took notice of him before replying, "Oh! Hello there. Forgive me, for I was gazing at the wondrous sun." The spirit's voice was male and sounded kind and gentle.

Cardin looked at the spirit with a confused expression as there was no sun to be seen except for the one painted on the spirit's chest. Before Cardin could question the spirit of what he meant, the golden spirit cut him off.

"My name is Solaire, the Spirit of Dustmas Past. You are Cardin Winchester. I, along with two other spirits, have been sent to try and get you to see past your greedy and selfish ways."

"And how do you exactly plan on doing that spirit?" Cardin asked with a sneer as he was confident that he was currently fast asleep and just having a bad dream.

"Take hold of this white dust crystal and we will begin your journey." It was after the first spirit had said this that he had pulled out a small white dust crystal from within a pocket. It glowed just as bright as the spirit with the only difference being it glowed white instead of yellow.

"If only to get this dream over with sooner." Cardin said with a roll of his eyes as he grabbed the small crystal in the outstretched palm of the spirit.

As soon as his fingers grasped the small white crystal, it glowed even brighter and soon Cardin was blinded by the white light. A moment had passed and when he dared to open his eyes again he found that not only had the blinding light disappeared, but he was no longer in his bedroom.

He was outside in the snow, and immediately realized that he wore only his night shirt. Strangely he felt no chill as a gust of wind blew by, carrying some dusty snow with it, yet he felt it not.

Looking around Cardin saw Solaire appear besides him. "Come." Was all Solaire said as he started walking across the snow, but leaving no footprints behind. Cardin followed the spirit but it was not long before he voiced his concerns.

"Where have you taken me spirit? Why do neither of us leave footprints in the snow? And why does this place feel somewhat familiar?" As they continued walking they passed a small playground that Cardin couldn't help but feel like he'd seen before.

"I have brought you to a Dustmas of your past. We are but spirits walking in a memory of your own, so we have no power here except to only observe. And as I said, this is a Dustmas from your past that will help you." Cardin could only continue to walk in silence as they both came up to a small red schoolhouse.

"Hey… I remember this place." Cardin said more to himself more than the spirit, but Solaire nodded his head anyway as he said, "Yes, this was the schoolhouse that you spent most of your childhood in for many Dustmases; along with your sister Penny."

They had come to one of the windows that allowed them to see inside the building. Inside there were multiple long tables that were used by the children whenever it was time to eat. All the seats had been empty save for one occupied by a lone boy.

He had a short head of combed orange hair and Cardin soon recognized it as himself as a child.

"Why show this to me spirit?" Cardin asked as he couldn't take his eyes of his younger form. He went ignored by the spirit as the door leading into the cafeteria opened up and his sister Penny walked in.

Cardin gasped in both surprise and pain at seeing his beloved sister alive again. Memory or not.

She wore a small white and pink dress that came down to just below her knees. Her orange hair much shorter and curlier along with her green eyes as she greeted his younger self, "Hello brother!" Despite being outside Cardin could still hear her.

"Hello dear sister." His younger self greeted with much more cheer than Cardin had felt in decades.

"I… remember this day. It was on the eve of Dustmas and my sister had come to visit me and keep me company as all the other children went home with their new families." It was not a particularly happy memory for him, as Cardin recalled seeing all the other children being told about their new parents coming to pick them up.

His resent for Faunus began that day as he grew jealous of the few Faunus orphans that were chosen over him and were being picked up by their new families. Cardin would have been alone for that Dustmas had it not been for Penny.

She had always come through and was his only light in the world.

The spirit beside him spoke up saying, "Yes, your sister came to you and made sure that you didn't feel abandoned by the world. That Dustmas was special to you because of her, and you held a special place in each other's hearts did you not?"

Cardin nodded his head as he kept his eyes solely locked on Penny. But suddenly the scene began to fade away into darkness and Cardin cried out, "NO! Wait!" But the spirit ignored his cries as the memory and image of Penny was swallowed up in darkness.

The same white light appeared from within the dark, and Cardin was again caught off guard by the blinding light as he failed to cover his eyes.

When the light disappeared yet again he slowly opened them to a new scene. Both he and Solaire were inside a large building of sorts. Decorations were strewn about ranging from tinsel hanging from the balcony railings above to a large Dustmas tree positioned towards the back of the room. The tree was gorgeously decorated with colorful ornaments and fake snowflakes hanging off the branches. Atop the tree sat a beaming white star that seemed to just capture the mood right and made even Cardin feel a tiny bit cheerful on the inside.

Before he could ask the spirit where they were, the door leading outside burst open and in came both an older (but still younger than himself now) Cardin and another fellow that Cardin recognized.

It was Russel Thrush in his youth!

'And just a year before he got that horrid hairstyle.' Cardin thought to himself with a slight chuckle as the two younger versions of he and his partner entered the building.

"Now I know where we are!" Cardin said with a joyous expression on his face as he said, "This was the Dustmas party that Mr. Port held all those years ago." And speak of the devil as the man himself walked into the same room as his two young apprentices and the two invisible spirits.

"Merry Dustmas boys!" The man bellowed with a joyful jolliness to his tone.

"Merry Dustmas sir!" Both replied with equal joy as they took their coats off and hung them up on the only coat rack in the room.

"Excited for my party tonight? I'm looking forward to the festivities, especially those of the female variant." The portly man said with a small blush lining his cheeks and giving the two a wink.

"Mr. Port! Using a party to get closer to beautiful women. For shame on you sir." Cardin's younger self said with mock disbelief while Russel just snickered. "Better be careful there boss. Remember what happened last year?" Russel reminded his old perv of a boss.

"Ahh yes I recall that evening. Ms. Goodwitch was not very pleased with me placing mistletoe over the two of us now was she?" Port said reminiscing the party that he had thrown the previous Dustmas.

"Was she really that mad?" Cardin asked as he pulled up a stool for himself to sit on.

Port then began to fall into a small fit of laughter as he shouted, "Mad?! My boy, she used her semblance to shove me up the damn chimney! That was attempted murder if I do say so myself." When any other person would have found such a claim absurd, both Cardin and Russel nodded their heads in agreement as they were the ones who had to retrieve their poor boss from the chimney.

The present day Cardin laughed to himself as he remembered the task. Who would have thought that anyone could slide through a chimney so easily with just four sticks of butter and a plunger?

"This was yet another Dustmas eve in which there was great joy in your life. This party held by Mr. Port was perhaps one of your happiest memories." The spirit said and Cardin couldn't help but nod his head in agreement.

"Port treated both Russel and I like the sons he never had. He was not only a great boss and mentor, but a father figure as well. A great man he was." Cardin said with pride.

Solaire nodded his head at Cardin before gently saying, "I am afraid that my time with you has come to an end Mr. Winchester."

Cardin turned towards the spirit quickly as he blurted, "But spirit! Please show me more of these great memories! I wish to relive them just a bit longer!" It was too late however as the memory before Cardin began to melt away and soon the endless dark returned.

"The second spirit will be visiting you soon. Be prepared for his arrival Mr. Winchester."

It was the last that Cardin heard from the Spirit of Dustmas Past as his vision grew heavy and he too succumbed to the dark.

Awaking slowly, Cardin had found himself back inside his bedroom. Just as he were before he placed his hand in the spirit's hand and on that crystal.

"Only a dream," Cardin said with a sigh of relief. "But a… pleasant one." Turning on his side and closing his eyes again to see if he could recapture the dream; Cardin soon found a man dressed in what appeared to be onion-shaped armor lying next to him on his bed.

Screaming and jumping out of bed, Cardin half-shouted (out of breath from his previous scream), "Who the hell are you!"

"Hhmmmm…. Hhhhmmmm…. Hhm." Was the man's only response as Cardin stood up and dusted off his night shirt.

Sending an angry glare to the second spirit Cardin said through gritted teeth, "And just who the hell do you think you are sleeping in my bed?"

The onion shaped helmet atop the man's head shifted to look in Cardin's direction.

"Hmmm…mmm? Oho! Forgive me, I was absorbed in thought." His voice was deep and had a slight accent to it, and was muffled slightly by his helmet. Cardin then asked again, "Who the hell do you think you are?!" This time louder to get it past the onion helm and the no doubt thick skull the man had beneath the helm.

The spirit stood up and Cardin noticed both the small round shield on his left forearm, and the very large greatsword resting gently on the man's shoulder while upholding it with one hand. The shield had a small point sticking out from its center and the greatsword, not only as tall as Cardin himself if he guessed right, but also had two smaller points sticking out of the blade closer to the hilt.

The spirit coughed into his hand a few times to clear his throat, and then taking in a huge breath before shouting at the top of his lungs.

"I AM THE SECOND SPIRIT SENT TO YOU THIS NIGHT: THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT!" After a moment had passed the spirit added, "AND MY NAME IS SIEGMEYER!" Cardin had to cover his ears as he was positive that the neighbors, along with the entire block, must have heard that mighty bellow.

After he waited a few minutes so that the ringing in his ears would cease Cardin asked, "Why the hell did you need to scream that out?!" The spirit could have easily just have told him his title without blasting out his eardrums.

"Forgive me; I was just making sure that my vocal cords were still in shape for tonight." He apologized, now going back to his original tone of volume that he used earlier.

"Why would it matter if your vocal cords were in shape? Do you plan to start singing?" Cardin asked with distaste as he would most likely cause the spirit harm if he began to sing aloud. That is if he could even touch the onion man.

"Singing? Oh heavens no!" The spirit laughed in a jovial manner before saying, "I was just making sure that they were ready to call my trusty steed!"

"Trusty steed?" Cardin questioned as the spirit began to take in yet another inhale of air. Cardin was ready this time as he plugged his ears up with both his index fingers before the spirit bellowed yet again.

"COME TO ME MY STEED!" Cardin unplugged his ears once the spirit had finished and then asked, "So how long until your horse arrives?"

"You are quite the comedian aren't you?" The spirit joked as he made a quick gesture with his hands and suddenly Cardin became translucent just as the spirit in front of him. Then both began to rise into the air at a fast pace. Cardin braced himself for hitting the ceiling, but no contact was made as he and the second spirit phased right through.

After a few moments both were floating high up in the air and Cardin looked down in fascination. He could see for miles while above the city and even the far off city walls that marked the edge of the kingdom. What made the scene even more amazing were the countless number of lights covering both the ground and buildings.

Ranging from small city markets to homes and hotels, Cardin was speechless as he looked around the entire city.

Another sight caught his attention as a creature only out of fantasy was flying right for them.

It was the size of a house fit for a family of four, while four lizard like legs stuck out from beneath it. Its neck was as long as five men tall and a dragon's head was in the front. Red scales covered its entire body along with two massive wings sticking out from its back and flapping once to keep it airborne.

Feeling a sense of fear at the creature Cardin turned towards the spirit asking, "What the hell is that thing?"

Giving a slight chuckle at the absurd question the second spirit replied.

"Why that would be my trusty steed of course. The mighty helper of Dustmas Present, the one who carries him to his destinations, the one and only," The spirit paused for dramatic effect, "RED ONION!"

Cardin didn't even process the ridiculous choice of a name before finding himself riding on the back of the beast. With the second spirit sitting in front of him.

"Onward Red Onion! Onward to the present!" Siegmeyer shouted as he pointed his greatsword ahead of the beast.

A portal large enough to fit the entire dragon emerged from the space where the spirit directed his greatsword and they flew right into it.

Cardin had shut his eyes once they had entered through the portal, but soon opened them as Red Onion began its decent towards the ground. The spirit grabbed onto the back of Cardin's night shirt before hauling the two off the still flying dragon. Instead of falling, both were simply descending towards a house that Cardin instantly recognized.

It was the house of his nephew Sky.

Once close enough both peered in through a window and looked inside.

Inside were multiple people all dressed up in handsome suits and stunning dresses. Both men and women (both human and Faunus) were dancing with one another whether it be a couple or a single person dancing along to the music being played.

Cardin spotted a small group of people all huddled around the fireplace along with both Sky and his Faunus wife.

"Come. Let us take a closer look." The spirit didn't wait for Cardin to give an answer as he half dragged/floated both of them right through the window and into Sky's house.

Once they had gotten closer Cardin could hear what was being said.

"Oh I know! You're an Ursa." A woman that Cardin didn't recognize shouted out. When Cardin looked to his nephew, Sky was hunched over and growling like some sort of Beowulf.

Standing up from his hunched position Sky shook his head while smiling. "I'm afraid you're wrong Fran. I was acting like a Beowulf."

The woman, Fran, huffed and crossed her arms while whispering a small 'darn.'

"Well as much as I enjoy a game of charades I think that I will take a small break if you all don't mind." Sky excused himself as everyone began to chat amongst one another, all with smiles on their faces that Cardin couldn't help but fell a tiny bit jealous of.

When his nephew turned and walked right through the large spirit next to him, Cardin didn't miss the downcast expression on his face as he headed towards the window.

It seemed that his wife had noticed too, as she excused herself and walked through Cardin this time, unaware of the spirit before her.

A look of slight disgust crossed his face; and not entirely because of the feeling of being passed through.

Sky's wife was a cat Faunus who had inherited multiple traits from her heritage.

Long, wavy midnight black hair fell down reaching her lower back and atop her head two black cat ears popped up. Her eyes were the color of amber and they were slightly tilted upwards at the ends to add to her catlike appearance.

She wore an elegant midnight dress that seemed just a little too fancy for the party while a little black bow was wrapped around the side of her neck.

She had reached her husband and the two began to talk. The spirit nudged Cardin in the back with the tip of his sword and nodded in the couple's direction. Taking a small sigh Cardin floated over towards his nephew and his wife.

"What has you so down Sky?" She had asked as Cardin was now floating only a few feet away from the two and eavesdropping.

"Oh my dear, I am simply just wishing how my uncle would have joined us on this night of celebration." Sky said while looking up at the falling snow.

Immediately his wife's face turned from one of concern to another of irritation. But Cardin knew that it wasn't directed at Sky.

"That racist, heartless, no good uncle of yours? Honestly Sky, the only thing that your uncle would bring to this party is racism and bitterness. I still find it hard to believe that the two of you are related." Blake shook her head at the thought of having that racist join in on the festivities, and was even more shocked that Sky had invited him.

"Don't say such things Blake." Sky said with a gentle but stern tone. "My uncle doesn't have that many years left in his life and I don't wish for him to spend them alone and bitter. If only he would just open up a little to me then I'm sure that I could not only thaw his frozen heart, but perhaps even get him to accept Faunus as well."

Blake gently cupped Sky's cheek and looked into his eyes before saying softly, "Dear, I know it's Dustmas but I don't think that there will be any miracles happening tonight."

It was a hard pill to swallow for him and Blake knew it, but she just wanted Sky to enjoy his life and stop trying to help the hopeless case that was his uncle.

"I… understand Blake. I just feel so much sadness for how isolated he has made himself. I just wish that I could have helped him more." Sky said with slumped shoulders, but he soon perked up when Blake placed both arms around him and gave him a hug.

"You tried your best dear; maybe next year." Blake whispered, but in her mind she knew that it would never happen. Sky perked up a little as he nodded his agreement before saying, "I suppose your right. Let's get back to our guests then."

Linking arms together, the couple walked right through Cardin as he floated there speechless. When he finally turned around to regard his nephew he saw him with a new smile on his face and enjoying himself with both his wife and friends.

He felt it soon after.

A small pit beginning to form where his heart was and a heavy weight settling itself there. It felt like it would weigh him down to the point that he would phase right through the floor and eventually into the ground.

"I-I…" He couldn't even find his tongue as he was at a loss for words. He felt a clap on his right shoulder before turning around to see the spirit standing beside him. "Was th-that all true spirit?" Was all he managed to get out.

The onion shaped helmet shook its head in the negative before saying, "I'm afraid that I'm not the one to answer that. Think on it later for we have one more stop before I must leave for the night."

Apparently Red Onion could phase through walls as well as it phased through the wall of Sky's house, and where it normally would have broken everything and everyone within, it merely went through them. Soon after they were atop Red Onion yet again and the spirit opened yet another portal with his greatsword.

In not even a minute they were at their next destination: a small shack that looked like it has survived every kind of force that nature could throw at it, but badly beaten and barely standing it appeared.

Lights were on within the house and soon both Cardin and the spirit descended down to find a small window to look through.

Within lay another surprise to Cardin.

It was the house of his clerk Arc. Within the Arc family home a feast was being held. Well, a feast would be complimenting it as it could barely pass as a decent dinner.

Only one loaf of bread and one-fourth a stick of butter lay on a plate. A small bowl of gravy and an even smaller bowl of honey lay on the table. But perhaps the most depressing food that Cardin saw set onto the table was the smallest turkey bird that he had ever seen.

It looked like that it could fit into the palm of his hand if he were to wager. The Arc family was currently eating their small 'feast' as all four of them sat around the cramp looking table.

His clerk, Jaune Arc, was sitting across from his wife. A pretty young girl with black hair with a few red locks that could be seen. Between the two must have been their children.

A young blonde girl just like her father and the looks of her mother. Right next to the young girl was an even younger boy who had the same colored hair as his mother, but Cardin couldn't see most of his face as it was covered up by a red and black scarf.

"Why are we here spirit?" Cardin asked out of curiosity as well as slight fear as that same weight in his heart grew heavier when he looked at the boy for a reason he couldn't tell.

"He is why we are here."

Cardin looked back at his clerk before facing the spirit again and saying, "Arc? I already gave him the day-"

"No." The spirit said cutting Cardin off. "The boy is the reason for this visit."

When he looked again through the window Cardin saw that the boy had gotten up from his seat and went to give both his parents a hug. However he needed the aid of two small crutches to get around.

'He's ill.' Cardin rationalized in his head as Arc propped his son up onto his lap. The boy pulled down his scarf and Cardin could see the smile that shone brightly on the boy's face. This caused Arc to smile as well and the two laughed despite having such a small dinner and living in such terrible conditions.

The boy looked towards the window, as if sensing that he and his family were being watched, and smiled even brighter.

Cardin knew better than to smile back, but he did it anyway. Despite it being awkward and feeling uncomfortable as the weight grew heavier.

'Are these the chains forming? Oh gods please no!' Cardin began to think with panic and was about to voice his concerns when the spirit, still keeping eyes on the ill boy, spoke.

"The boy will die soon."

"What?" Cardin asked as the weight began to weigh him down further and further.

"He will die soon if the course of events does not change." The spirit's tone sounded slightly strained and upset, but Cardin couldn't tell properly with how muffled he sounded.

The weights were beginning to become unbearable as Cardin actually fell to his knees.

"Before I depart, there is one last thing." The spirit's tone grew darker as he said this, and to Cardin's horror the inky darkness returned and swallowed up everything.

Jaune Arc. His wife and daughter.

And his smiling son.

Two cages appeared besides the spirit. What was in each cage horrified Cardin even further.

For in each cage lay two emaciated children or at least what he thought to be children due to their size and human shape.

Each was as thin as sticks, enough so that he could see the bones of each child. Their skin was the color of both blood and brown and the only clothing they wore were thin rags that kept them barely decent. The most terrifying characteristic of the two children were the hollowed out eye sockets that seemed to be starring right through the man before them.

"These two names are Ignorance and Want. You must be very careful of the former above all, for he will be the end of you Mr. Winchester."

Cardin was backing away from the two cages as he continued to star in horror at the two creatures that starred back.

"Change your ways Winchester, or you will suffer dearly for it." And with that the spirit heaved his massive greatsword up and cleaved off the front half of the cage to his left, and then the same to the right.

Both creatures began to slowly crawl their way out of the cages in slow, twitching, motions and once they were freed, they sprinted towards him.

Both Ignorance and Want came barreling towards the terrified man as all he could do was watch as death approached him at full sprint. Screaming out loud and closing his eyes in fear, Cardin awaited for the blow which would take him to his fate.

After a few moments had passed he slowly opened his eyes to find himself back within his dark bedroom. Feeling the back of his neck Cardin felt cold sweat running down both his neck and back as he sat up.

Clutching his heart Cardin said, "That weight, that poor boy, and those two nightmares." He spat the last word out like it was some rotting food that was unfit for eating.

'There is still yet another spirit, and if I am to go off of the first two, then this last one must be-' He didn't want to finish the thought in his head as he slowed his breathing down which helped to calm his nerves; even if it was only a tad bit.

The moonlight from the room suddenly vanished, flushing the room into dark. It then had grown cold within his bedroom; cold enough where he could see his own breath coming out in short, panicked breaths as he waited for…

"The spirit of Dustmas yet to come." Cardin all but whispered as the spirit no, demon, stood before him.

It had the body of a man and stood almost two times his height. Both arms and legs were made up of strongly build muscle if how the demon's ragged, torn, and dirty brown cloak clung to it.

Two 'C' shaped objects produced from its back to make an almost complete circle. Along with those, a pair of elongated horns was attached to the sides of its head.

The hood of the demon's cloak was pulled over its head (with the horns poking through) to prevent Cardin from seeing its face. And he felt thankful for that small blessing for all he could see of its actual face were two sets of glowing red eyes starring right at him.

Its star was so powerful that he covered his chest as he felt as if it were looking directly into his soul.

Cardin also eyed the strange staff the creature held in its right hand. It was basically the same as any other staff, but the differences were how it stood even above the demon's head and had the same 'C' objects at the tip.

'Is that made of stone?' Cardin wondered as he inspected the staff a little more, however, he was startled when the demon simply turned around without saying a word to him.

"What, no introduction?" He asked. The demon just ignored him as it lifted the staff up off the ground and quickly slammed it back down. At first nothing happened, but soon after a blue glowing crack appeared from where the demon had struck its staff.

Soon the crack spider webbed on its own and in a matter of moments the entire floor had been covered in blue, glowing cracks.

He tried to back away from them, but he accidentally stepped on one and his foot fell through. Letting out an alarmed gasp, Cardin grabbed onto his ankle and tried to free his imprisoned foot. However shifting his weight over to his still free foot caused the floor to break under the weight as well.

Now both his feet were trapped.

*SNAP*

A loud snapping noise was heard which had Cardin looking around in panic for the source of the noise. Finding only his bed and the demon standing before him, Cardin resumed to trying to free himself from the floor.

"C'mon goddamnit!" He grunted as he pulled hard on his left leg and to his surprise it came loose of the floorboards. "Ha ha!"

Then, the entire floor collapsed underneath both him and the demon and they both fell into the glowing blue abyss that waited below.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh!" He screamed all the way down as he passed by what could only be described as glowing blue blurs. The demon was falling in front of him.

Well, falling wasn't the right term as it stood perfectly still with its arms crossed and its staff on its back. The only way Cardin could tell that it was falling was that its worn old cloak was flapping in the wind that rushed passed his ears.

It seemed to be… laughing? Its shoulders were rising up and down and Cardin could barely make out the growling sound that also sounded like wheezing at the same time coming from it.

Cardin would normally send a glare at anyone who laughed at him, but he was too preoccupied at the moment from the incoming black hole that waited past the blue.

Shutting his eyes, too afraid to face the oncoming black maw, both Cardin and the demon were swallowed by the abyss.

He slowly opened his eyes to a bright white light. Shielding his eyes for a moment and after they adjusted, he found that it wasn't a bright light, but pure white snow.

Lying face down on the snow covered ground; Cardin pushed himself up and observed his new surroundings. Tombstones surrounded him in all directions with the names of the deceased and the dates from when they were born to when they died were engraved on each.

It might have been snowing heavily, but Cardin soon found the third spirit waiting for him by a certain grave.

Cardin forced himself to walk closer towards the rather small tombstone. It was covered in snow so he couldn't read who had died, and how unkempt the tombstone was did not help either.

Chips and cracks could be made out and when Cardin reached the snow covered grave, he looked up at the demon and asked, "Whose grave is it?"

He already had a feeling who it belonged to, but he didn't want to accept that possibility just yet.

"Please tell me spirit. Who is buried here?" He didn't want to look as the spirit pointed its staff at the grave behind him. Cardin shook his head and shouted, "No! I will not look! Tell me who is underneath this tombstone now!"

His demands were hollow and he wasn't even convinced himself as the spirit continued to point its staff at the tombstone. Cardin shook his head again to deny the spirit, but he soon regretted it as it shoved the staff towards him.

The two 'C' shapes clamped around his neck tight enough to guarantee that he couldn't break free. They felt colder than even that of the coldest winter nights as he felt his neck begin to go numb as the clamp began to tighten.

Afraid that he was going to die to this demonic creature he managed to choke out, "I… sha- *hack*- look demon…" He hadn't meant to let the last word slip out but it was too late as it forcibly shoved him against the front of the tombstone before removing the clamp.

Its red eyes flared and Cardin saw steam escape from beneath those same eyes. Terrified of the thing in front of him, Cardin forced himself to turn around and wipe away the snow covering the owner's name.

He couldn't even muster a simple scream as all blood left his face.

'HERE LIES CARDIN S. WINCHESTER' it read and Cardin backed away from the grave as fast as he could. Bumping into the demon's legs Cardin quickly looked up to see four burning red coals looking right back.

He could feel its wicked smile underneath that hood as it grabbed the back of his neck and began dragging him back to… his grave.

He looked on in horror as a gaping black maw appeared above the snow and waited to be fed. "No spirit please! I promise to change my ways and how I act towards others! Please, I promise! Please!" He was becoming hysterical as the demon now lifted him up and right over the awaiting black maw.

Cardin tried to grab onto anything to keep him away from the dark, but he only touched air and falling snow as his limbs flailed wildly.

The demon dropped him into the maw. Turning himself in the air, Cardin caught the last bit of light close up as the maw closed itself. Those four burning red eyes looking at him fall all the way down into the dark belly of the beast.

"No!" Cardin screamed as he quickly sat up in his bed. He was covered in sweat and felt cold all over, like death had touched his very soul.

"Wh-what was all-" He didn't finish as a bell in the distance rang out. "Th-there's still time… There's still time!"

Jumping out of bed and rushing towards the window, Cardin shouted to the very heavens above, "MERRY DUSTMAS EVERYONE!"

Quickly spotting the newspaper boy down below Cardin called out to him, "Boy!" The young lad looked around before noticing Cardin in the two story window above. "Yes you! I need you to go to the market and buy the biggest turkey that they have. Here take this."

Rushing back into his bedroom and pulling out a large amount of lien Cardin ran back to the window and threw it down at the boy. Catching it the boy asked, "Do you want me to bring it back here mister?"

"No nonononono my boy. Wait there." Cardin quickly got dressed like there would be a Grimmpocalypse the next day and ran all the way down and out into the street.

"I need you to take it to this address…"

Jaune Arc was enjoying his Dustmas holiday with his family when there was frantic knocking coming from the front door.

"Who could that be on this day?" He muttered to himself as he excused himself from the festivities with his family.

The knocking became even more frantic and Jaune said, "Coming I'm coming."

Opening the door Jaune asked, "Who is-" But he didn't finish that question as the biggest surprise in his life came at him like twelve angry Ursa.

Cardin stood there with a bountiful amount of gifts in his arms and shouted, "Merry Dustmas Arc!" Allowing himself in Cardin began to set the presents down onto the table that they used for their Dustmas 'feast' the previous night.

"What is the meaning of this sir?" Jaune asked in complete astonishment as he didn't know what to make of the person before him.

"Don't call me sir again Arc or you're fired. Call me Cardin from now on." Cardin ordered and Jaune quickly nodded his head as a small smile began to form on his lips.

"What's going on in here?" His wife, Ruby, asked as she and their two children came in from the bedroom.

"Ah Mrs. Arc! So good to see you. And these must be your children." Cardin greeted by giving Ruby a quick hug to caused her to "Eep" in surprise and Cardin quickly scooped up his young son, Tiny Ash.

Jaune was about to ask why he was here when another knock came at the door. Putting Ash down gently Cardin said, "I'll get it. Oh you're going to love this Arc!"

What Cardin held in his arms when he turned around was the biggest turkey bird that Jaune had ever seen. "Why though Mr. Winche- uh… Cardin?"

"Why not my boy? Its Dustmas and joy and cheer should be spread out to everyone should it not?"

"Well yes but-" Jaune stopped himself as he saw how happy his family was when they saw the turkey and the kids were getting excited to open up the presents that Cardin had bought for them. That smile grew larger as he saw Cardin prop Ash up onto his knee.

"Oum bless us, everyone!" Ash shouted as everyone cheered and their official Dustmas feast began.


God… every time I read that line from this special I cringe a little.

Well that one is finally done. I have to admit that this one I got tired of writing halfway through and considered stopping and begin on the next chapter of FDTA instead. I mean I'm just adding to the multiple versions of this Christmas story just with different characters to fill the roles.

I'm a little mad that I couldn't finish this before the New Year hit, but like I said I lost interest in it halfway through. Plus SW Battlefront and Fallout 4 didn't help out either lol.

If some of you didn't know, the Spirit of Dustmas Future was a mix between the Capra Demon and the Titanite Demon.

Also, sorry if the ending seemed rushed, but I really wanted to finish this special to begin work on the next chapter of the main fic. So again, sorry if this wasn't the best.

Anyways, hoped everyone had a great holiday and got to enjoy it with friends and/or family, and a happy new year to everyone and to all a good night.