A TIGER AND BUNNY CHRISTMAS CAROL! Chapter 1
Brace yourself loyal T&B lovelies, this one is for the long haul!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I don't think I've ever seen a better opportunity to screw up Lloyds' character as Scrooge in a fanfic. It's too easy it's laughable. He's such a moldable persona. Refreshing, no? Anywhoo, Merry Christmas T&B fans!
PS: Food for thought: imagine Ben narrating the story!
It was Stern Build year 1970-something. Post-defeat of Jake and just before Christmas break. Alexander Lloyds was combing through Apollon's funds with ferocity. Not a penny to spare for keeping the Hero enterprise in top condition, or as good a condition as any at this price.
However, as far as this miser was concerned, the benefits did not outweigh the price. Constantly, the drive for monetary gain had gotten in the way of the human spirit found in the extraordinary people of his employ-Heroes. Any yet, Lloyds could only see a company to be ran ragged. A business. Farther away with every year was his real purpose in leading Apollon-protecting the people. And that is where our story comes in…
Keith Goodman, otherwise known as Sky High, bustled in the door of Apollon's office as though he owned the building and were responsible for the happiness of all living things therein.
"Merry Christmas One and All!" he shouted merrily.
Kotetsu balked at his entrance and grinned in spite of himself. "Merry Christmas Sky High, how are you?"
"I dropped by to spread the cheer of the Season by making merry, and merry again!"
Keith was decked out in a custom Santa Claus flight suit that blared his company logo across his wide shoulders.
"Back from that toy drive, eh? You're a saint and a half, Keith. I'm sorry I didn't join you-uh-"
"What is it?"
Kotetsu looked behind him nervously and said in a lower voice: "I had to stay to make sure I have the hours to visit Kaede this year, I mean a real visit."
"Hours? Did you not stay through Thanksgiving this year?"
"Yeah, but then he had more tasks before I could leave and I really needed the money so I stayed and then covered someone else's shift."
"But, surely this counts as promotion of the company?"
"Well, I thought so too but Mr. Lloyds doesn't see it that way." Said Kotetsu despondently.
"I see. I shall talk to him! Perhaps a friendly invitation to our holiday party will lighten his heart!"
Before Tiger could look at Lloyds door closing, Keith had swept into the office with the trailing winter winds lifting every piece of paper in the room.
"Mr. Lloyds, Sir! Merry Christmas, and again a Merry Christmas to you!"
Lloyds was shocked to say the least. His work of the past few days now littered his floor. However, a star hero from another company was to be treated carefully. Sky High could not read a bad mood to save his life. And Lloyds was in a terrible mood.
"Sky High. I would think you of all people would be taking advantage of your block leave for the season, considering your hours."
"I came to personally invite you to the Poseidon Christmas Spectacular. Please come for the good will that has always been between your companies, Mr. Lloyds. It will be a fantastic way to spend Christmas!"
"Christmas Day, you say? Thank you I'd rather not." he replied testily.
"Oh I see, how rude of me, of course you must have family plans."
"No I just prefer to be alone this time of year. The benefits of catching up on work are far more important. Let the masses celebrate. This job needs constant vigilance. You understand that well, don't you?"
"I suppose, but Christmas joy comes from sharing it with others, surely there must be someone you-"
"Mr. Goodman, you try my patience." said Lloyds icily. "Now, you keep Christmas in your way" gruffed Lloyds, stiffly walking Keith to the door, "and I'll keep it in mine. Good Afternoon."
"uuh, yes, Sir." said Keith dejectedly "And a Merry!"-
Slam! The hinges squeaked lightly from the force.
"Christmas, sir." ended Keith weakly. Kotetsu raced to his side, shooing him away from the door and to his own cubicle.
"Ahhh, I'm sorry Sky High, I should have told you he was in a mood. I have something for you though, I didn't think I would see you till New Years'."
Kotetsu opened his desk drawer and pulled out a pair of bright blue insoles, and a small, beribboned dog bone. Keith's eyes lit up.
"It's quite alright Mr. Wild. Thank you so very much for the gifts. I need to get going anyway, but I leave you with an old favorite, trusting you to drink responsibly, and responsibly again!"
Keith revealed a very, very old-looking bottle of port from his slick Santa outfit.
"Whoa, Keith, how did you score something this good?" exclaimed the older man, eyeing the dusty bottle in his hands from top to bottom. "I don't know what to say!"
"They gave it to me as a job well done for this year, but I thought you would appreciate it more than me. Have a Merry Christmas Mr. Wild!"
"You too Sky High, Merry Christmas!"
And Keith was gone in a whirlwind. Kotetsu was working downstairs, finishing the paperwork on his last escapade.
"Whoo, man is it chilly in here-what, a fancy building like this can't afford the heating that comes with it?" Tiger thinks out loud to his uncooperative stapler, crunching down the device a little too hard.
"Not another one-"
"Kotetsu!" barks Lloyds over his intercom, sending papers to the floor.
"On my way, Sir!
The door to Lloyds' cold, dimly lit office creaked open and Kotetsu carefully walked in.
"Well, Sir I'm not sure what this is for but you should probably put in a request to have that door oiled, I mean it's downright creepy and um-" Kotetsu stumbled, not reading the touchy mood still lingering in Lloyds' office.
"Sit down." commanded Lloyds. Kotetsu sat. "That can wait. What I want to know are your Leave plans for this coming holiday exactly."
"Well Sir, it's in the paperwork I sent earlier." Kotetsu fidgeted like a kid in the principal's office. "Christmas falls on a weekend this year, so it will be like any other weekend but I thought, you know, compensating for the 8 hours it takes to drive out, then requesting Monday would be like just asking for a day off-"
"And what have I told you several times before about losing precious time Wild Tiger?" retorted the senior man "Who will be here to pick up the slack of all that festive waste?"
"Sir, I-"
"Don't interrupt. If you hasten to your residence like you hasten to your lunch hour every day then I'm sure you can work in the time for a night of quality time you go on about. The weekend given will be time enough and you're lucky to get that."
"Sir, I, considering my family, they want to invite others over on Sunday to spend time while I'm there as well. If I have to be back here on Monday I'll need to leave on that same day, and I-"
"Sounds like you need more accepting people in your life, considering your line of work."
"Mr Lloyds, Sir!" said Tiger, gathering his courage "it's Christmas time! It's the time for finding love, hope and generosity in your heart! Those companies and business partner's will be off, and the ones that aren't will be off, and the ones that aren't will put off business until after that week. You can't seriously expect me to tell my kid that-"
"That will do Wild Tiger! Now, you will be here, ready to take New Years' proposals in person on Monday. I don't care if they tell you it can be done over any device-Apollon deals with real people and looks them in the eye when they do business." thundered Lloyds, boring into Kotetsu's face with his glare. Kotetsu looked despondently back at him. "Or-"
"I can always quit, right?" Kotetsu said unexpectedly. His voice was gentle, laced with disappointment and a little sadness. "You know, Sir, I might not think much of you, but my family would love to have you over one of these days."
Lloyds looked back at him curiously. He had employees in the past who spat in his face before walking out for less. The old fool. Kotetsu laughed in that easy laugh, before closing the squeaky door.
"Merry Christmas Mr. Lloyds."
Kotetsu had closed the door carefully before it opened again with a genial 'hey, Merry Christmas, Saito!' as the doctor walked in with Agnes, carrying a new proposal.
"Happy Holidays, Sir." Said Agnes breezily, candy cane striped nails digging into the proposal. Saito's greeting was too low to hear.
"How can I help you two?"
"You see Sir, Apollon is far higher in our quota than expected this year form the publicity we gained during the Jake Martinez incident. From the funding we have left, we thought it would make a statement for the company if we made a donation to the Sternbuild Orphanage College Fund.
"Have you seen the final budget?"
The room was still for a moment. Lloyds looked far less in the spirit than both of them.
"…-,-" Saito said, cowering behind Agnes somewhat.
"I took a look at it, and we're far above average, Sir. Considering the public climate, I thought it would be more prudent to gain the trust of the people with a show of Generosity-"
"A show!?"
Agnes' eyebrow twitched with the criticism. But she hid her annoyance well. It had been her quick thinking that had increased revenue in the first place. The old Scroo-
"And if another incident happens like Jake? What are we working on that can prevent the astronomical damage costs we endure from putting us under?"
Both employees were silent in contempt. "No ideas, eh? I suggest you find new ones concerning this company. That is where my interest lies. Not in some orphanage that has the pity of every citizen on the street!"
Saito and Agnes hid their shock and looked at each other, disappointed.
"Well then, Sir," said Agnes smoothly "We should…get right on that. Enjoy your holiday."
"Hmph."
The producer followed the engineer out of the office, a defeated look on their faces.
Meanwhile, Kotetsu was driving home quickly, anxious to beat the holiday traffic. But there was hardly traffic to beat downtown.
"I'm one of the few and the proud working for a ball buster again. Everyone else is home mmm?" laughed Kotetsu to himself "Well, at least it's on a weekend this time. Just gotta make one more stop."
Kotetsu pulled his green 4Runner into the side street of the Gold Stage closest to Barnaby's apartment. He promptly let himself in with the key his partner trusted him with.
"Heyyy, ready Bunny?"
"Yeah, I've got two suitcases ready. And here's the box of the food, the red one is decorations" sighed Barnaby, leaning on the door post "I'll put it down stairs."
"Hand those to me and we can prop the door with that box."
"Alright."
The two heroes lift the heavy boxes and walk downstairs with ease.
"So, did Lloyds give you the time getting back on Monday?"
"Uhhh, yeah Sky High came in today-You were right as always about those insoles Bunny, if I didn't know better, I'd say you worked for-"
"Kotetsu."
"Yeah?"
"He didn't, did he?"
Kotetsu looked quietly at him.
"That old miser. Honestly, if he paid more attention to people instead of figures th-*cough, cough* Unhh…
The box Barnaby was carrying slid down a bit.
"You okay pal? Kotetsu asked, his voice full of concern. Barnaby grimaced and held his chest when he coughed this time. How had he missed that? They'd been so busy and Kotetsu had been avoiding Barnaby to keep his present a secret. But if whatever he had got worse…
"It's a cold. I've just been nursing it a while" he admitted, "that's why I asked for leave before Christmas."
"I thought you were taking medicine for it, though?"
"I am, and it works, a little. It only needs more time. Anyway let's get goin and I'll be fine, it feels better when I'm with y-"
Kotetsu's eyebrows raised, and he gave a hearty laugh at Barnab's blush and grumbles of 'let's go, old geezer.'
Across town, at the residence of Alexander Lloyds, the sun was setting. Lloyds plowed his way through the snow to his front door, longing for his warn armchair and nightcap. He paused on the doorstep momentarily. A trick of the light, maybe, but in the lion-shaped knocker on his door, he thought he saw an ugly, pallid face with a mole in place of the lion-head. Blinking and shaking his head, he went upstairs and dressed for bed after a long day. He was sinking into his cold, silk sheets when he heard an eerie voice.
"LLooooooooooyds"
Lloyds' heart skipped a beat, shifting his eyes toward the empty, decorative fireplace in his massive bedroom. 'Nothing. Must have worked too long today' he thought, turning over once again.
"Llooooooooyds" the voice whispered again. Lloyds dared a peek over his silk-clad shoulder to see a white, see-through figure slowly emerged from the dark walls, like a cobwebbed lantern.
"Alexaaaander Llooooooooooooooyds" moaned the terrible voice. There could be no mistaking it now. There was a great scraping and dragging sound, and Lloyds beheld a ghastly white figure emerging from his fireplace. Dragging what sounded like iron mallets on the floor behind him was the ghost of Lloyds' old boss and business partner who died in custody after the Jake incident-Albert Maverick. He wore long, heavy chains . Around his worn, rotting neck was a butterfly necktie, and a kerchief around his slackened jaw. Lloyds did not believe it.
"Stop right there now, who are you!?"
"ASK ME WHO I WAS!" boomed the terrible sounding ghost. His voice rattled the expensive knick knacks on his mantle and broke a glass award on the bedside table. However Lloyds saw he was in no position to negotiate.
"Who-who were you then?"
"I am the ghost of your old business partner, Albert Maverick" he moaned painfully.
"Maverick? But what happened to you? These chains? What is this?"
"I bear the terrible weight of the chains I wove in life…." He turned his full attention to Lloyds now, backing into a corner-as though he had any chance of escape. "And the same thing will happen to YOU if you do not change your ways, Alexander Llooooooyds!"
"What! What is the meaning of this? I may be demanding, but I'm not the man you were, murdering people to further your interests" snapped Lloyds, gathering his courage. "You should have done better busine-"
"BUSINESS!" wailed the tormented ghost. Lloyds backed down again. "MANKIND was my business! Good will, Generosity, Love were all my business. I came to warn you Alexander, listen and take heed, for we are all the same in death."
Lloyds shook with fright but didn't let any of it show through his voice.
"Very well, I'm listening."
Raising his rotted, pale fingers, the ghost gestured toward the window. "Tonight you will be visited by three spirits. Listen to them and change your ways, or my fate" said the ghost, stepping out onto Lloyds' window ledge, "WILL BE YOOOOUUURS" he wailed. Lloyds ran to the window, looking out and expecting to see an unsightly smudge on the sidewalk. Instead the ghost of tormented souls, bearing chains of their sins, floated aimlessly through the empty night sky. He slammed the window shut and leaned against it, breathing fast. 'A dream' he decided 'All a bad dream from that ridiculous holiday platter from yesterday.' And with that reasoning, Alexander Lloyds fell back into his bunk, hoping for the end of what was going to be a very long night.
He heard the whispering voice again, but it was lighter, and more feminine. "Lloyyyyds. Lloooooyyyyyyds….GET 'CHA CHEAP ASS OUT OF BED BEFORE I-Ahhh, now there we are now darling."
Lloyds grabbed his nightrobe hastily before facing the passive-aggressive spirit. Sh-He was decked out in what could only be described as a glamourously trimmed gold star vest, shimmering tights and flowing, bright flame wings.
"You're looking at the Ghost of Christmas Past. Pleasure to school ya, Mister Miser" purred the otherworldly being. If this was a dream, Lloyds figured he might have to delve into his subconscious more often to confirm his masculitiy. The ghost only shook his head.
"Long past?"
"Your past. And aaaallll it's demons, honey" said the flamboyant ghost with a wink "now let's get a move on before you really do fall over and die."
Lloyds blinked, taking in the situation."If this is only a dream, then I can't come to any harm, but…"
Lloyds reluctantly took the proffered glowing arm and stepped out onto the ledge. It only took a few seconds for the vertigo to kick in.
"Now, I'll not fall if I do this right?"
"It is my concern how you live your life" said the spirit mischievously "not how you die."
Lloyds turned back toward the open window and was pulled into the night, a blazing light beside him, keeping him in place.
Before long, the night receded and the two came to a stop in front of a boarding school. Lloyds walked forward, leaning against the bars of the gate surrounding the dismal looking building.
"This is my old school. I remember it like it was yesterday" he gasped. "There I am, on my way to study!"
A trail of small boys started traveling down the road, chatting and laughing together.
"And there's everyone!" said the older man joyously. His eyes shone with recollection, an enourmous grin plastered on his face. You would never guess he was the same man he was 6 hours ago. "All of my old friends, hey! All of them-"
Fire Emblem looked at him empathetically as he walked after the illusions, to turn around and look at the huge, empty building behind him. Soon, the building was left without one soul. Not even a groundskeeper. All except for a single, sad little boy.
"All of them going home. Going home for…Christmas." Lloyds ended bitterly.
"I see" said the spirit softly "so….not one?"
"No. No one."
"…"
"I don't want to see anymore, spirit."
"Ahh, tut tut. I don't make the rules sweetie and neither do you this time. We still have places to visit."
In a rush of color and light, the two were swept away into a merry little staging room. One that might have been for storage containers, that was decorated simply with holly and red ribbon. Lloyds caught his breath. Both of them were looking at liveliest little Christmas Eve Hop you ever did see.
"I can't believe it" he said incredulously "That's Phessimig. Old Barry Phessimig. Seeing him here, alive again-"
"This isn't real, honey. Eyes on the prize, if you will" said the spirit, pointing toward the back corner. A petite brunette in a button-up dress sat patiently, eyeing an awkward and ill-dressed young man with a bad combover and nervous expression.
"Delilah…" ghost Lloyds whispered.
"Delilah" confirmed Nathan, nodding his head. "She wanted a future with you. But I'm sure you knew that. It didn't matter what you had or didn't have back then. She was willing to bet her heart and happiness on you."
Young Lloyds stole a furtive glance in Delilah's direction before promptly getting up to straighten a napkin on the table beside him. She moved cautiously in his direction, bringing out the blush on his face even more. "I let her go…I remember this Christmas now. I let her go. I was working so hard in my apprenticeship that I pushed her away. I was determined to succeed. And I did. And…"
Lloyds continued watching his younger self dance those first awkward, wonderful steps with her to 3rd rate, cheesy Christmas music. His eyes softened for a moment before closing them. He returned Fire Emblem's watchful gaze with a hard glare.
"And the success was worth it."
SWOOSH!