(Based on the best-selling novella "A Christmas Carol" written by Charles Dickens)
(I do not own Soul Eater, Soul Eater NOT!, or any other related names. All rights belong to Manga Entertainment, Madman Entertainment, Square Enix, and Atsushi Okubo)
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Oh man, oh man, oh man! I am SOOOOO excited now that Christmas is coming! And what better way to get ready for the holiday than to right a fan-fiction of one of my favorite anime's ever? Although, based on the title alone, you obviously know what this is gonna be about. But still, I am super excited to be writing this and I cannot wait to see what you guys think.
So, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the first chapter of A Soul Eater Christmas Carol.
(2018 Update. If you read a section of the story that you do not remember reading, please know that this story has recently been revised by the writer for the purpose of expanding character development and including scenes that never appeared in the original version. So please, enjoy)
"Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts." – Charles Dickens.
- Chapter One -
Lady Arachne Gorgon
December 24th, Christmas Eve...
Snowflakes gently fell from the cloud-filled sky above and onto the city streets below. It rarely ever snowed in Death City, considering that it was in the middle of the desert in Nevada. But this year, the city got very lucky. It was nearly 5:50 in the afternoon and many people roamed around for the many stores and giftshops that remained open for all to purchase presents just in time for the coming of Christmas, which was tomorrow morning, by the way. Along the streets were small groups of Christmas carolers who sang to their hearts content, whether it'd be Carol of the Bells or Deck the Halls. The children ran around in the snow, making snow angels, playing snowball fights, making snowmen, or sticking out their tongues and letting flakes fall into their mouths. Some of the adults carried paper or plastic bags, filled with gifts and wrapping paper and other assortments of Christmas themed products.
Yes, everything in Death City was looking splendid and merry today. Except for one certain individual who people did what they could to avoid as she walked down the city streets, carrying an essence of gloom and misery around her part. That certain individual was none other than the infamous and abhorrent Lady Arachne Gorgon.
I say that she is gloomy because it is very true; she had an extremely pale and flawless complexion, which would give one the impression that she was almost created entirely out of porcelain. She possessed quite a curvaceous figure, with an exquisite bust, a thin waist, and wide hips, truly a body no man on earth would dare refuse to lust after. She had long black hair, worn in an upwards manner with two long strands that framed either side of her face. She was dressed in a long blackish-purple coat with a thick gray-furred collar and she held a cane with a purple diamond on top.
As she continued to stroll down the street with the snow crunching beneath her feet, her manservant, Mosquito, a handsome young man with neatly combed, slick black hair, wearing a well-fitting, highly formalized black suit, accented by a traditional white cravat encircling his neck, strolled closely by her, holding a large black umbrella to protect her from the falling snow. Whereas Arachne, who was thirty-five years old, Mosquito was thirty-six and was about three inches taller than her.
As they both strode across the city plaza, Arachne gazed up at the decorations that littered the lampposts and buildings. Unlike everyone else, who showed great love and joy for the holidays, Arachne showed it with nothing but scorn and contempt. Whenever she looked at the toy stores that were lined with customers purchasing their gifts, she frowned in disgust at the thought of these people wasting their valuable money on worthless trinkets. Whenever she saw young children playing in the snow or sitting on Santa's lap in the city mall, she would form a scowl on her face, one that would make the Devil himself cower in fear. She would also flare her nostrils and sneer at the sight of a display of the Nativity scene. All of it was enough to make her sick.
In hindsight, there was hardly a woman in Death City as unpleasant as Lady Arachne Gorgon, who bitterly hated Christmas and everything that had to do with the festive season. The holiday meant less than nothing to her. Not a single word of cheer ever passed her lips.
People had always wondered why such a spiteful and unlikable woman such as her would show such loathing for a holiday where everyone laid down their own needs and gave whatever they had to someone who deserved the most happiness. Maybe it was because of her upbringing that forbade any form of celebration within her family? Or perhaps it was because Christmas was ruined for her at one point in her life and now wanted to ruin it for everyone else? But still, whatever the reason may be, Arachne Gorgon hated everything to do with Christmas, with a capital "H". Not only that, but because of her imposing-like stature as an upper-class woman, along with her attitude towards the holidays, she had also garnered quite the reputation for herself among the people of the city. The clothes that she would always dress in did not help, which made her appear all the more sinister-looking. For this, no one had dared to wish her a Merry Christmas.
Whenever people saw her coming down their way, they did what they could to avoid her direction as if she were infected by the plague, or better yet, as if she was the plague itself in human form. They would also try and turn around in hopes of avoiding gazing upon her black presents. And that was how Arachne liked it. And the children, though they did fear her, sang songs about her being similar to the likes of Scrooge, even other songs about how she was gloomy and very macabre, whom she actually was, though never to her face. It was also no secret that she was almost capable of violence, or so she would have you believe. One time, about two Christmas' ago, a small boy, who was simply playing outside with his friends, had accidentally stepped in front of her and made the mistake in looking up at her, making eye contact. Out of annoyance and frustration, she raised her cane, threatening to hit him.
"Out of my way, you piece of filth!" she snarled. The boy quickly scurried away, fearing what would have become his impending doom. But in truth, Arachne had never once inflicted physical harm on a living soul, for this was just a simple tactic to scare away anyone who dared to come within an arm's length toward her direction. Why would she use such a tactic? Well, as Machiavelli had once said, "It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both." That, and it was also because she would rather be left alone with nothing to cross her way, with nothing to trouble her.
As Arachne and Mosquito traversed through the plaza, a random beggar, who tried to warm himself up at the front wall of a corner store, spotted her and placed his hand out to her. This sudden action caused her to stop dead in her tracks and she eyed the beggar with annoyance in her eyes.
"Penny for the poor, my good lady?" he asked. Arachne sneered at his words and shoved his hand aside with her cane and then continued on her way, with Mosquito still following close by. After about five minutes later, Mosquito placed his free hand into his coat pocket, fearing that it might contract frostbite. After that, he then mustered up the courage to speak.
"If I may, Lady Arachne," he said.
"If you may what, Mosquito?" she answered, without turning around.
"Well, it's just that, how long are we to have this little stroll of ours?" he asked. "The cold is starting to get to me, and I'm afraid I might freeze to death." Without warning, the macabre-like aristocrat suddenly stopped. She then swiftly turned around and sternly faced her manservant. She pulled his hand out from his coat pocket and lifted it up.
"What is this, Mosquito?" she asked, tugging on the left sleeve of his shirt underneath his suit jacket. Mosquito became confused, but not wanting to make his master wait, quickly responded.
"A dress shirt, madam?" he said.
"And this?" she asked again, this time poking roughly at his vest.
"A waistcoat," he answered. And lastly, she grabbed the side of his suit jacket.
"And this?" she asked once again.
"A blazer, my Lady," he responded.
"All that which you are wearing are garments, Mosquito," she spoke. "Clothes created by mankind to protect us against the cold. And once they are bought and paid for, they are to be used indefinitely, for the sole purpose that which they are intended. I cannot afford to keep you warm at all times whenever we are out and about. Consider yourself lucky and grateful that you have the clothes you are wearing at all right now. You have absolutely no room to whine. Now, am I clear?" Mosquito frowned and lowered his head.
"Crystal, my Lady," he muttered. Arachne's dark lips formed into a straight line.
"Do not complain to me again," she stated as if she would to a child, "or else I will be forced to conclude that your services are no longer needed." Mosquito nodded lightly.
"Yes, madam," he muttered. After that was over, the two went on through the plaza as if nothing had happened. As the two neared her house, which was five blocks east of the city from their location, a sudden figure jumped next to her left side, causing Arachne to nearly jump out of her skin, but then she immediately relaxed once after she recognized said figure.
"Merry Christmas Eve, big sister!" the figure said, who was revealed to be a young woman. Arachne frowned and looked away.
"What do you want, Medusa?" she asked annoyedly, lightly clenching her teeth. Medusa snorted and smiled.
"Nice to see you too, Arachne," she said in a voice that was playfully sarcastic.
Medusa Gorgon Albarn was a young thirty-one-year-old woman with a fairly average physical build. Her facial features consisted of yellow eyes and short blonde hair, with two long strands extending downwards, framing either side of her face that entwined each other like that of a caduceus' snake to rest upon her chest. She also had a small nick on her left eyebrow. She was dressed in a black coat with white fur on the hems of her hoodie, collar, and the ends of her sleeves. She also wore a pair of tight-fitting black jeans and snow boots. In both of her hands were large plastic bags, most likely filled with presents. Presents? More like worthless junk, as Arachne would put it.
Now unlike Arachne, who was bitter and callous, her middle sister, Medusa was a kind and good-natured woman, and a hard-working mother and wife. Even to this day, people were still shocked by the fact that such a cheerful soul like Medusa was actually related to a terrible wretch like Arachne. Arachne eyed her younger sibling and her frown deepened.
"I assume that you are not here for a simple hello, am I right?" Arachne asked. "If you are planning on inviting me over to your place for Christmas dinner – again – I think you know what my answer is going to be." Medusa only shook her head at her older sibling's words.
"Come on, sis," she said. "It's almost Christmas. How can you hold such contempt for the most wonderful time of the year?"
"Since when was Christmas ever wonderful?" Arachne questioned and then sighed. "Sometimes I just do not understand you, Medusa. How can you be so happy and cheerful when you can barely afford enough to pay your bills?"
"Well, how can you be so glum and miserable," Medusa returned gaily, "when you are practically ten times richer than the city mayor?" Arachne grunted under her breath.
"I told you this before, Medusa," she said very clearly, making sure that her younger sister understood. "And I will tell you again; I am not coming." Medusa's smile slowly turned into a small frown.
"Not even for Crona? He really misses you."
"She has a very strong point, my Lady," Mosquito piped up. "You really should consider your nephew's wellbeing." Arachne quickly turned around and shot her manservant a hard look.
"You will stay out of this, Mosquito!" she snapped. "This is a family matter! Besides, I do not recall asking you for your opinion. One more word from you, and you will celebrate Christmas out in the streets!" Mosquito bowed his head – more so out of fear at the thought of being fired.
"Yes, my Lady,"
"Oh, Arachne," Medusa said, shocked by her sister's hostility. "How can you be so hard on him like that? He's been faithful to you for years, and yet you treat him so poorly."
"Oh, come now, little sister," Arachne rebuffed. "I am just making sure that Mosquito knows his place. And besides, I do believe my nephew is better off without me in his life, and I most certainly can do without him in mine." Medusa let out a soft gasp at the amount of cruelty in her own sister's words. Finally having enough, Medusa, her patience now at a critical low, dropped her bag of groceries, grabbed Arachne by the left shoulder and forced her to look at the younger sibling. Medusa gave her older sister a very stern look.
"Now you listen to me, Arachne Gorgon," she began. "You may not like Christmas and what it's about, but being cruel and heartless to those who celebrate the season will not benefit anything for you but misery. You think that Christmas is all about 'buying things' and 'wasting money' and fulfilling the needs of the spoiled. You think that's all you see, but you know full well that that's not the case. Christmas is about spending time with family and the ones you love and care about.
"Christmas is a kind, forgiving, and charitable time," Medusa continued, "where people sacrifice their own selfish needs to help those who are much less fortunate than us. You used to believe in that. You used to care about other people and their wellbeing's, now you're scared of spending a single penny and you scold and hate people who do. Since when did money become more important then your own family? Just what in the world happened to you? What happened to my sister?" For a while, Arachne remained silent and stone-faced. Her frown deepened.
"She grew up and saw more important things in life," she grunted. "My wealth has kept me alive this long, and I do not intend on loosing it." Medusa let out a frustrated huff.
"You know, if Shaula was still alive, she'd be furious with you,"
A throbbing nerve appeared on the side of Arachne's temple and her fingers tightened around the head of her cane. It took the amount of utmost willpower she had to try and not strike her own sibling to the snow-covered ground for her insolence. This was very much the last thing she wanted, to be reminded of their dead sister, who died several years ago on this very day, the day of Christmas Eve. A memory Arachne would soon rather forget about as much as possible. Her hardened face still remained on Medusa until she finally spoke again.
"Are we just about finished here?" she asked through clenched teeth. "I have to get home now."
"What for? To drown your misery in expensive wine? Is that really your only form of comfort these days?" Arachne's right eye twitched as she carefully attempted to wrench her shoulder away from her sister's grasp.
"... Good afternoon," she grumbled.
"Arachne, please," Medusa pleaded. "You don't have to be alone. It doesn't have to be this way. Why can't we be sisters again?"
"Good afternoon," Arachne repeated, raising her voice lightly this time.
"Please, come join us," Medusa pleaded again. "Come have Christmas dinner with us tomorrow."
"You can ask me all you want, my little sister, but my answer is still no," Arachne grumbled after finally wrenching her shoulder away from Medusa's grip.
"Well, you can say no all you want, but I'll never stop asking," Medusa retorted as Arachne started to walk away, leaving her sister behind. After retrieving her grocery bags, a small smile formed around Medusa's face.
"And I'll never stop wishing you a Merry Christmas!" she said, raising her voice.
"Good afternoon!" Arachne shouted back.
"And a Happy New Year too!"
Arachne covered her ears and snarled under her breath. She turned back around and watched as her sister walked into the opposite direction. She let out a sneer and a huff, and returned to her walking, with Mosquito following suit still trying to keep the umbrella above her head. At last, about five blocks later, the pair had reached Gorgon Manor, the home of Arachne Gorgon. The mansion was about fifty-four feet high and almost fifty feet wide, taking up a large amount of space in the area. The walls appeared to be colored a darker shade of purple and the rooftop was made of red tiles. Of course, one could barely notice the tiles due to the large quantity of snow that just about covered the roof. You will not find a single Christmas decoration anywhere on her property, as she always made it very clear that she was not a Christmas-living person.
"Home at last," Arachne muttered in relief. Before she had the chance to have Mosquito open the wrought-iron gate in front of them for her, a sudden voice piped up.
"Excuse me,"
Arachne and Mosquito turned around and saw three people, one woman and two men. Well, one of them was a boy, who appeared to be seventeen years old, with short blonde hair and blue eyes, and was dressed in what looked like a black priest's robe and a white shawl covering his shoulders. The other male appeared to be a little older, possibly late-twenties, had dark skin, a somewhat ruggedly broad appearance, a pencil-thin stubble going across his chin and jawline, hair braided into cornrows and a white headband. He wore a simple orange jacket and held in his hand a filled cup of Deathbucks coffee. The woman appeared to be in her early-thirties, possessing large yellow eyes, and long blonde hair. The woman wore a black snow jacket with heavy yellow accents, and a red scarf around her neck.
Arachne was slightly put off by the fact that the blonde woman was also wearing an eyepatch that covered her left eye, which gave Arachne the idea that maybe she had been in a terrible accident some years ago, to say the least.
"Sorry to bother you, but are you, by any chance, Arachne Gorgon?" the woman asked. Arachne eyed her suspiciously.
"Indeed, I am," she said. "And who is it that wishes to know?" The woman bowed her head.
"My name is Marie Mjolnir. These are my friends and associates, Sid Barrett," she introduced, pointing to the older man. She then pointed to the young priest. "And Justin Law,"
"And...?" Arachne asked confusingly. Justin walked up and handed her their credentials, which came in the form of a simple card. Arachne looked deeply at it and concluded that it appeared legit.
"We are part of the Death City Charity Foundation," Justin stated. "We'd like to speak to you about a donation, for we are soliciting funds for the indigent and destitute." Arachne raised a slightly confused eyebrow.
"For the what?" she asked.
"We're collecting for the poor," Sid Barrett chimed in, simplifying what Justin had just said. "Even as we speak, there are those here in this city that are not so fortunate as us. There are men, women, and children with no homes, are jobless, and have no means of protection from the cold."
"And we of the Death City Charity Foundation," Marie added. "are trying to raise enough money to give them better homes, warm food and drinks, and any means of help from impoverishment." Arachne stood there with a contemplative expression. She stroke her chin, which emphasized that she was now deeper in thought. After a short while, she turned to them with a fake smile.
"A very noble cause, I must say," she stated. "Though I must ask the three of you something. You do realize that if you were to give money to the poor, they would not be poor anymore, will they?" Marie, Sid, and Justin looked at the macabre aristocrat in confusion, looked at each other as if they expected each other to have the answers, and turned back to Arachne.
"Well, we–" Sid began but was cut off by Arachne.
"And if they are not poor anymore," she continued, "That would mean you would not have to raise money for them anymore."
"Well, when you put it like tha–" Marie said, but she too was cut off.
"And if you do not have to raise money for them anymore," Arachne continued, "Then you three would be out of a job. Oh, please, my dear friends." Her voice then suddenly shifted into a sad and sympathetic-sounding tone. "Do not ask me to put you three out of a job, especially not on a delightful day such as Christmas Eve."
"Oh, we wouldn't ask for something like that, Miss Arachne," Justin stated. Her sad-like face, abruptly shifted back into the cold expression as before.
"Alright then... Now, get off my property, the three of you!" she growled, threatening to hit all three of them with her cane. Marie, Sid, and Justin recoiled a few steps, not wanting to be smacked in the heads from her cane, and also from being completely taken aback by this sudden change of behavior.
"But, Miss Gorgon," Marie pleaded. Arachne held up her free hand, signaling for the other woman to be silent.
"That is Lady Gorgon to you," she corrected. "And I do not wish to hear another word about it. If you really are so bent on aiding the gutter rats of this city, then I suggest that you do society a tremendous favor and send them all off to the factories, or better yet, a nice warm prison cell where they all belong." The three of them gasped and expressions of shock laced their faces after hearing such cruel words escape from Arachne's mouth. Arachne simply rolled her eyes.
"Lady Gorgon," Marie said. "How can you say such a horrible thing? Don't you care at least a little bit for the poor? We are not asking a whole lot, we merely wish–"
"Oh please, just shut up already!" Arachne snapped. "I am not giving you a single quarter from my pocket, just so you can give them away to some filthy street rats! Do you know why? I will tell you why; because I have much, much more important things to do than waste my time on a foolhardy holiday like this! Because I cannot afford to make idle people merry because I do not make merry myself around on Christmas!"
"Madam Gorgon, please!" Marie begged. "Do you have any idea what you're saying?" Arachne sneered.
"My words are final!" she proclaimed. "And besides, I would soon rather burn in Hell than watch you walk away with my money in your pockets! I do not want anything to do with Christmas, not now, and not ever! And there is absolutely nothing on this godforsaken planet of ours that is going to make me change my mind! Take my advice, Miss Mjolnir; the poor? They are all not worth it! Now, good afternoon!"
And just like that, Arachne Gorgon turned around and walked through the snow-covered path that led through the small front yard of her mansion. Marie Mjolnir stood in her place, totally shocked at how such a human being like Arachne could be so unloving and callous and ruthlessly tight-fisted. Marie frowned in anger and clenched her fists.
"You really are what people say you are," she said. But then, her voice began to rise and become emotional. "At first I didn't believe what other folks said about you. But after everything you just said to us, now I see the truth, the truth that you really are an abhorrent, bitter, black-hearted, devil-woman!"
"Marie, please calm down," Sid said.
"One of these days, Arachne Gorgon," Marie continued. "When you die and stand before God's presence, I promise you this, you're going to regret you ever said those horrible words!" Justin placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Come on, Marie," he said. "I think we've wasted enough of her time."
Marie turned her gaze to meet Justin's, and her face softened, but when she turned back to see Arachne fiddling with the front door of her mansion, her face morphed back into the hardened look she had before. She slowly shook her head. Truly, she could not understand just how or why is it that this woman could be so horrible, unloving, and unkind. Just what in this world had made her this way? What had Christmas ever done to make her so bitter, vile, and repugnant? Those are the questions Marie would never know. And so, she, Sid, and Justin, turned around and walked away, not once looking back, and not even noticing Arachne now watching them leave from behind her foyer window. Arachne flared her nostrils.
"Idiots," she muttered, before turning away from the window and marching up the stairs to the second floor, along with Mosquito still following suit and putting away the umbrella. The house was almost just as cold in the inside as it was outside, this Mosquito knew whenever he breathed through his mouth and his breath turned into fog. Arachne massaged the side of her right temple and then the bridge of her nose.
"Just what is this world coming to, Mosquito?" Arachne said with a sigh. "You work all of your life to get money, to become better than what you were, and yet people want you to give it away."
"I haven't the slightest idea, Lady Arachne," Mosquito answered.
"Of course, you would not," Arachne said. "Because you are just a servant, and you are paid to do as your told."
"Um, on the contrary, my Lady," Mosquito hesitated for a second. "You practically do not pay me at all." Arachne's lips formed into a cruel smile.
"Exactly," she simply said, as the two reached the second floor of the mansion, and sooner or later made it to her bedchambers.
Well, that's for now. Was it good? Bad? Okay? Let me know in the reviews and tell what you all think would be better. And also, I will get to work on the second chapter immediately as possible. Oh, I also forgot to tell you. There will quite a few references from previous Christmas Carol adaptations in this story, including the chapter you had just read. If you get the references, send me your answers in the form of reviews.(Sorry if I sound very needy) Until then, enjoy Friday and Saturday, and good next week. :)