Welcome Christmas

Every year in December in Amity Park,

The buildings are glowing, the weather is stark,

But all you can feel, at the end of the year,

Is the joy and the love, and the warm Christmas Cheer.

It seems like each person- the tall and the small-

And those that are not even people at all-

Bury their hatchets in favor of dreams;

All but one, who was up to his usual schemes…

Vlad Masters was pacing in his plush study. His only company, as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, was his cat. Maddy, the fluffy white feline, was draped over his desk, eyes flicking disinterestedly between the man and the screens before him. At a week before Christmas, those monitors were displaying scenes of families and people caught unawares in Vlad's secret cameras, and they were all in the Holiday spirit. Bright colors, ornaments, singing, jingling bells, men dressed up as Santa Claus, parents trolling the malls and the yuletide carols- all right in Vlad's own study.

And he was simply sick of it. Yes, the noise and the cheer got on his nerves, but above all was that damn truce. For two days, Vlad was immobilized. Should he plan any attacks, then he was facing an army of ghostly enemies that would gladly hand him his butt on a silver platter. But of course, with everyone acting cheery, there was simply nothing to do. Vlad was a bad guy, and the one time of year that his arch-rival and family would be caught unawares, he wasn't able to do anything.

Vlad was a smart guy. He didn't get to where he was by being behind the curve. No, normally, he was two steps ahead and digging a hole for his foe to fall into. But an attack on Christmas would devastate that oaf, and he had no way to go about it.

He paused, one Italian loafer turned toward the screens. Christmas. Key was in Christmas- he needed to find a loophole to get out of this truce, to be free to take his revenge and avoid the comeuppance. He wasn't going to face what Writer did two years ago. His eyes were glued to the Fenton monitor- the largest one. Daniel and his sister Jasmine were wrapping presents in his room, while dear Madeline was cooking in the kitchen. Daniel seemed cheery; he must have learned from that incident with Writer.

"Oh Maddy," Vlad sighed to his cat, "How I wish Christmas simply didn't exist. Then I'd be free to make her mine, and to get that.. .ridiculous oaf out of the way."

He sat down in the leather-backed chair, absently stroking Maddy's head. In front of him were letters of gratitude and complaint. The complaint ones always increased threefold this time of the year- all the arguments centering on religious debacles. It seemed like for every letter saying that there weren't enough decorations, another snapped that there were too man y.

"Look at how many problems this holiday causes!" He lifted a fistful of envelopes and papers, shaking them as if everything was their fault. "I wish I could just-"

He stopped, freezing.

"Maddy, I think…" A grin slipped onto his face, and the dapper man suddenly exuded pure evil. "I think I've got the answer to all of our problems."

He set the letters down, and stood, still smirking wickedly at the screen before him.

"I'm going to cancel Christmas."

[Cue Christmas Theme]

"How can he do this to us?" Samantha Manson was furious. She, along with her two best friends Danny Fenton and Tucker Foley, were heading away from the town square, where Vlad Masters, resident Mayor and all around bad guy had just announced the cancellation of the holiday everyone- especially Sam- had been looking forward to.

"I mean, it's bad enough that he tried to get rid of the Nasty Burger, and put us in uniforms, but cancelling a major holiday?" She threw her hands in the air for emphasis. "I mean, I don't even celebrate it, but I don't have a problem with seeing all the decorations- I don't even have a problem with the nativity that the Jenkins' put up every year. This is bogus!"

"I had all my presents picked out, too," Tucker bemoaned.

"And I was finally getting the knack of this whole 'Christmas Spirit' thing."

"Only took two years," Tucker grumbled. But Sam put a reassuring arm on Danny's shoulder.

"Guys, we're not going to let this get us down. I don't care what Vlad says, Christmas isn't gone, even if we're not allowed to celebrate it."

Danny bit his lip. "Look Sam, I was starting to enjoy myself, and I'm totally bummed that it's being cancelled, but I have enough on my plate without adding 'arrested' to it."

"Yeah Sam, I just… I just don't have the energy to fight at this point, y'know? It's always the same thing with Vlad, no matter what we do. And now it's like he finally got us where it hurts. He took Christmas."

Sam stopped walking as Danny and Tucker continued on. Her eyes were transfixed in shock. They didn't even want to try? But looking around, Sam realized what Vlad had really done. People were glaring at each other, snapping, hurrying on to their destinations, clearly in a foul mood.

He hadn't just taken Christmas- he took the Christmas spirit.

The man was tricky, and he was definitely up to something. Sam was going to figure it out, no matter what it took.

"Vlad sucks." Normally Jazz was perfectly eloquent- loquacious even- but as she sadly piled up all the carefully purchased gifts in the corner of her closet (not willing to part with them just yet), her emotions were verbalized in two succinct words.

"Tell me about it. I just wish I knew what he was planning," Danny moaned, stretched out on his sister's floor, contemplating his foe.

"How could he take an entire holiday away?" Jazz fumed. "This is absurd. Because of complaints? I think there are some rights he's violating in all of this…"

"It doesn't even feel like Christmas, at all." Danny's eyes were unfocused as he stared at the ceiling of Jazz's room. "Like it doesn't even exist.

"Do you think… it's a ghost power that's doing it? Like he has a new ability?"

Danny shook his head. "I don't. He's clever. Just by cancelling the holiday, he's got everyone angry and frustrated, and dejected too. They don't want to celebrate."

Jazz sniffed. "Oh psychology, you've forsaken me. I can't believe he's smart enough to pull that off."

"He's smarter than we give him credit for." Then Danny groaned. "Aw man, I wonder if the Truce still holds for me?"

Jazz turned around. "Ooh, hadn't even thought of that one."

"Great. Vlad finds a perfect way to make everyone miserable, and I'll probably have to battle every ghost in the ghost zone on the 25th. Perfect."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, if the truce still holds for them, they might not even bother you."

Danny snorted. "Yeah right- their favorite pastime is kicking my but, Jazz."

"Ugh, this just sucks!" Jazz grabbed a folder off her bed. It was a deep burgundy, ad thicker than your standard brand.

"I was really looking forward to caroling, too. Like an Old-Time Christmas."

"I had such great presents for everyone." Danny paused, then curled his fist.

"No, you know what? Vlad can go take a hike." He stood, and ran into his room. Jazz reached out, then followed.

"Danny? What's wrong, come on-"

She stopped short when she came face to face with Danny.

"Hey Jazz, I bought something for you, just because, and maybe if I gave it to you now, you'd get this feeling not to open until a day in the future… like the 25th? Just, y'know, because." He was grinning, obviously happy, for first moment since Vlad had made the decision.

Jazz returned his smile with a heartfelt one of her own.

"What a coincidence, Danny, because I just randomly picked up something for you too. Maybe we'll open on the same morning?"

"Sounds like a plan Jazz." He went back into his closet, picked up a few other things. "I also happened to get these for Mom and Dad while I was out and saw them."

"I think we'll be just fine, Little Brother."

Danny disappeared down the stairs, and Jazz went to get her own gifts.

"You didn't beat us, Vlad, not by a long shot," Jazz said firmly to herself.

"Stupid Vlad, stupid holiday, stupid everything!" Tucker whined. His family had taken down all the decorations on the lawn, put the Christmas tree out, and nary a trace of Christmas was left in the house.

"He couldn't have made this announcement in November? Before we got all geared up?" He stared forlornly at his computer, currently in stand-by mode, and didn't even have the energy to even turn it on. "Or not make it at all. I mean, seriously, who cancels Christmas? That's just unfair. It's like he finally beat us."

Tucker wondered vaguely if his relatives were going to cancel their plans to visit. That was always his favorite part- seeing cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents that he hardly ever got to be with during the year.

"Doesn't he realize how important this is to us?"

Probably. Tucker supposed that was the whole point. He turned over on his bed, accidentally laying on top of a thick, burgundy folder.

"I even practiced!" He opened the thing, looking at the sheets in it. He cleared his throat.

"I really can't…" he started to sing, then adjusted his voice. "I really can't stay… Baby it's cold outside…"

He sighed. "This song doesn't even have any Christmas references, and I finally got better at singing. That's just wrong!" He almost threw the folder against the wall, but changing his mind, he simply let it hit the floor.

"I wonder what Sam and Danny are up to. I know they were looking forward to this too. Well, I mean, Sam's probably destroyed something by now. And Danny… I dunno, he does have Jazz."

He looked at his cellphone, ready to call and see how his friends were handling this. But his eyes were on the folder.

"Wait a second…" As he went to pick up his phone, it buzzed, Danny's face and number on the little screen. Tuck grinned and answered.

"Boy do I have something to tell you…"

Sam Manson was not a happy camper. Her room was a disaster area- the remains of a battle against her frustration littered every surface.

"Ugh! Vlad! Damn it, I'm going to kick your sorry butt for all of this!"

She threw herself onto her bed, jostling the items already there- her caroling folder, her laptop, and a few magazines.

"I mean, I've already celebrated Hanukkah, but even I'm depressed now." She glanced at her laptop.

"Hm, I could research civil liberties, find something that he's violating here, but… I could never do it in time. Christmas Eve is tomorrow, and he knows it. Sneaky little… ugh."

She wanted to blackmail him, kick his butt, get Danny to trash his office, but even though she'd like to do all that- and was well within her power to- it didn't feel right.

"He's turning me violent on Christmas. Did he finally win? He took all the goodwill and joy away. Now everyone's just sad, or pissed off."

Sam absently ran her fingers over the embossed cover of her folder. "How can I fix this? Danny and Tuck are just… they don't even want to think about it."

Sam was angrier now- at herself. She slammed down the folder. "Manson, get a grip- you're not some snivelly whiner. Get off your butt and do something!"

That little inner voice was saying that she was already beaten before she could start. No presents, no bags, no boxes or tags, no feasts, no cheer, no singing-

"Singing."

She smiled. "That's it! I mean, I've always known what Christmas is all about, haven't I?"

Her phone buzzed just as this revelation dawned on her. A two way from Danny and Tuck. She pressed the conference button and put it on speaker.

"I have this funny feeling that you guys just thought up a brilliant idea…"

Vlad was ecstatic. At first, he merely meant to create a loophole in the ghostly truce- even if the other ghosts didn't attack, since it technically wasn't Christmas, he could have leave to do whatever he wanted.

But he didn't even need to go that far. His little announcement was doing wonders. Maddie and Jack were fighting, Daniel was depressed- the whole town was snappish and arguing. It wouldn't be long before he could swoop in and snatch up his dear angel, and perhaps even the little Badger, in his morose state, would be willing to follow Vlad.

"Maddy, my darling pet, it's Christmas morning, and I do believe I finally received the best gift of all!" The early morning sunlight bounced off the snowy ground and fell in crisp, dappled stripes all over his office, where his cat was currently lounging in one of the rays. She mewed, not paying attention to Vlad in the slightest.

"I've finally won! Ha! Oh Daniel, you've fought well over the years, but I've finally beaten you."

He sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"They've got no gifts, or presents, no relatives want to visit when conditions are so hopeless and the roads so slick. I stole Christmas, Maddy! I think I'm more of a genius than I ever thought possible.

Contented, he longed, feet on the desk, black leather gleaming in the bright light. "Ah, how sweet it is."

Maddy looked up at him, then pawed at the dancing shadows. Until a curious sound reached her ears, and they pricked up.

Vlad started too, leaning forward, straining his hearing. Maddy mewed curiously, pawing at his pants leg.

"I don't know what that is, but I think it's… It can't be." He sat fully upright, swung his legs around and marched to the door of his mansion, peering out the window.

The music crescendoed from a minor to a major, voices harmonizing without words, until a melody of nonsense words and vowel sounds met his ears.

A few feet from his property line were… carolers. Not just any carolers- The front three were Daniel and his little friends, Jasmine right behind them. A few others were there as well- friends, he supposed. He glared.

"Maddy, this is absurd! They look, why they look cheerful! I've taken Christmas from them and they're singing about it?"

And sing they did. Their faces were radiant ad determined, their voices, while not perfect, were sweet and organized. They looked happy. Not just happy- but that look you get only once in a while. When you know, beyond a doubt, that you are right. Not even right but…

"They think they're winning! Against me! This is preposterous." But Vlad was transfixed by these arduous expressions and joyous voices. He was overwhelmed, even.

"But they had no presents, no packages, no trees or 'Merry Christmases.' How can this be?"

There was a painful throbbing in his heart. Vlad thought he could steal Christmas, thought that his revenge could be enacted. But here were three stupid teenagers sabotaging his sabotage.

And Vlad felt his face in horror when his fingers found a smile. He glared again, but it had no energy behind it.

"Maddy, was I… wrong?" He shook his head. "I can't… I can't believe it. This is insane… this warmth. It's…" He sighed, rubbing his eyes slowly.

"This is Christmas."

He turned to the cat, who was playing with the fringe on the rug. He smiled softly, then turned to the window. He caught Daniel's eye, and nodded his defeat.

"Well played Daniel, you're finally learning, aren't you? Of course, you won't win but… I suppose you've taken this battle."

He opened the door, and the three friends were ecstatic when Vlad called out, "I suppose you can all spread the word that it's a Merry Christmas, then."

He turned, but then went back out and yelled, "And get off my lawn!"

And so, on the morning of a bright Christmas Day,

One scheming villain found that his feeling had swayed,

And just for today, he thought with chagrin,

I suppose that I can let young Daniel win.

He turned to his pet, and he shrugged in defeat,

And went to enjoy the scenes on the street.

For Danny, along with his sister and friends,

Had finally learned how to make amends.

His hatred was buried, and promptly forgotten,

As he sang his whole heart out, his spirit begotten,

And he learned the most valuable lesson of all-

One that destroyed the despondent pall,

One that each person could now finally see,

Christmas Time will always be,

just so long as we have we.

A/N: Cheesy fluff is cheesy. It's officially the week of Christmas, and once again, I'm writing Christmas fluff for all my favorite fandoms- this year, the theme being favorite Christmas stories. And songs, in in two cases. I'm happy how nicely this worked out, and the writing is a little rough, but I'm tired a nd need to do lots of shopping. Pronto.

Happy holidays, all. =D