Quick note: This does not take part in Turning a Feather; events that happen in this story DO NOT impact TaF
A Miraculous Christmas Carol
The sky was clear and bright, an abnormal sight for just a few weeks before Christmas but the chances of a white Christmas were next to none. In the street, every post was decorated with lights and tinsel while at the school, a beautiful Christmas tree had been set up by the stairs and decorated with silver and gold, everyone so excited about the holidays, laughing and singing carols, classes all but forgotten in turn for Christmas themed activities.
However, while everyone was trading stories and plans, Chloe Bourgeois just huffed and sat on her desk's table. "Well, only one more day of school then it's the holidays. So, when are you all going to give me my gifts?"
Marinette frowned at her, breaking away from her conversation with Alya to turn to the blonde. "Chloe, it was agreed, we'd do the gift swap tomorrow."
"But I'm more important than you all. So I should get mine first." She smirked at the pig tailed girl. "Or did you all forget what happened last year?"
No one spoke and Julica looked to the ground. Last year she couldn't think of a good enough gift for Chloe and had given her a gift card instead. So Chloe told the environmental health that some nasty insects had been seen in her gifts.
The result was every gift was incinerated.
Marinette sighed. "Look Chloe, it was agreed by _the class_ that we would do the swap tomorrow. And in case you missed the memo, you have to bring a gift for everyone in the class."
"I have my gifts." She groaned. "Ordered them ages ago."
"Another framed picture of yourself?" Kim huffed. "No thanks."
Chloe crossed her arms. "I give a gift, I get a gift. That's the rule. And if you don't know what to get me, just ask Sabrina. She has perfect tastes."
"Yeah because you tell her what to give you."
"I don't think _any_ of you are getting the point here." Marinette stepped in before a full on argument could begin. "The idea of Christmas is to think about others, to cherish the people around you and to give something as thanks for a good year. We have all thought very carefully about what we want to give each other."
The blonde snorted. "As if. Christmas is about who gets the most and how much they are worth. No one cares about all that… fluffy stuff."
"You did once Chlo." Adrian said from the front. "And I agree with Marinette, sometimes a gift that was made from the heart is better than any store brought item."
She shook her head. "Not for me. _Store brought or naught_, that's my motto."
The others groaned and went to their places as Madam Bustier came in and called the class to order and the conversation was forgotten until the end of school, when Marinette bid an excited goodbye to her friends.
Just as she turned to leave, a young ginger haired girl walked over to her. "Umm, Marinette?"
"Sabrina?" She said with a smile. "How can I help you?"
Sabrina took a deep breath and held out a small piece of paper. "Chloe asked me to give you this."
The dark haired girl took the note and opened it up. "It… it's a list?"
"Those are the items Chloe has approved as a Christmas gift." The spectacled girl said with a smile. "She wants you to get them out to everyone."
"Well, it's a bit late now really. I mean, I know everyone has already done their shopping for tomorrow." Marinette said, looking over a few. "And these items are really expensive. No one in class would be able to afford these. I'm sorry Sabrina but Chloe will get what everyone has got her and she'll have to be happy with it." She held out the paper and smiled. "She will see tomorrow."
The other girl took the list with slightly trembling hands and bit her lip before nodding and walking away, head down.
Marinette felt sorry for her, she knew Chloe would be furious that her request wasn't being listened to but she had her own things to do so hurried off to do them.
~#~
Walking into her grand bedroom, Chloe gasped happily at the large pile of gifts that was on her bed with a note saying 'For my Darling Daughter. Merry Christmas. From Daddy.'
She squealed and ran over, grabbing the first one and tearing the wrapping off, looking at the beautiful necklace she'd been brought. Each item was opened, inspected, evaluated and tossed to the side for the next item.
When it was over, she sat on the bed and looked at the most expensive item; a diamond incrusted mirror, wondering what gifts she'd get on the big day itself.
A gentle knock at the door made her sit up and gasp. "Come in!" She shouted, hoping it was more presents.
The door did open and in walked an old man in a red Hawaiian shirt with a walking stick. "Oh, what a lovely room." He said casually.
Chloe groaned. "Oi! This isn't part of the hotel, this is my personal room. Now get out."
He either ignored or didn't hear, bending down and picking up a new phone, still in its box. "My goodness, I saw one of these in the shops. They are really expensive."
"Well my daddy has good taste. Now get out of my room." Chloe repeated, walking over to him and towering over the old man.
He finally looked up at her and smiled. "Tell me, who are you giving these gifts to?"
She scoffed. "Hff, I'm not giving them to anyone."
"Oh?"
"They are mine."
"But what about your classmates? What are you giving them for Christmas?" He said, still with a smile on his face.
"They will get a keychain and will be happy for it." She informed them, waving a hand to the other side of the room where 10 identical items were sat. "Now, get out of my room."
"That's not really the idea of Christmas is it, Mademoiselle." He sighed, shaking his head and putting the phone down on the table. "Perhaps you need a few lessons to help you learn the truth."
"Excuse me?" Chloe groaned. "Lessons?"
"Yes." The man said turning for the door. "Tonight you'll be visited by three spirits that will help you learn. Because if you don't change soon… well…" He glanced over at her. "There won't be much hope for you."
Crossing her arms, Chloe stomped her foot and turned her back on him. "That's it! I'm calling security!" She snapped, running towards the phone and grabbing it, pressing the speed dial for the front desk and looking at the man.
But her room was empty, deserted and the door was closed. She blinked and turned away, looking around the room for him but there was no sign of the man anywhere. With a confused huff, she put the phone back down and went to the door, ensuring it was locked and turned back to her stuff. "Crazy old man." She decided.
~#~
The clock on the side of the room bleeped once as it turned over to midnight and the new day began, Chloe groaning as she rolled onto her back before a bright light filled the room and a gentle tinkle of a bell filled the air, sitting up quickly to see what was causing the noise.
Stood at the foot of her bed was a figure she'd know anywhere. "R-Royal Peacock!" She gasped, jumping up and running over to her. "What are you doing here at this time of night? Is Ladybug with you?"
The hero shook her head. "I am not Royal Peacock."
"What?" Chloe chuckled. "Come off it; brown hair, blue mask, blue… dress? Since when have you worn a dress?"
The miraculous shook her head once more. "As I said, I am not Royal Peacock. I am the spirit of Christmas Past. I have taken this form as one you would recognise and feel comfortable around."
Chloe looked her over again. She had a thick necklace of blue and white pearls while she had a transparent bow at the back of a waist high dress, transparent sleeves and a white star with blue gem in the middle on her chest.
She had the same face and eyes as Peacock, even the same mask but there was something else about her. "Spirit… of Christmas Past?"
"Yes." She said softly. "I've been sent to remind you the meaning of Christmas."
"I know the meaning of Christmas." Chloe groaned.
"Really?" Peacock asked, walking around the room. "What is it then?"
"Err…" She bit her lip and looked away. "Being with… family and… friends and… gifts."
"You don't sound very confident." The spirit said then held out her hand, a fan in her grip that she waved over the air, creating what appeared to be a portal of white light. "Let's see if we can't remind you."
Chloe frowned at it then looked away. "What if I don't want to?"
"You don't have much choice. But do you want to pass up a chance to spend time with Royal Peacock?"
The teen thought then sighed and walked over to her, taking the hand that was held out to her and walking into the portal, the light blinding for a moment before the two of them found themselves in a wide open space, snow covering the ground and trees.
Chloe blinked as she looked around before spotting a large building just behind her. "This… this is the chateau my father used to take me to over the Christmas holidays."
"I know." The spirit said, fan closed and walking over the snow. "And if you look over there, you will see something else familiar."
Chloe turned and gasped as she spotted a young blonde girl in a very Christmassy red dress trimmed with white fur as she came running out of the building, laughing and jumping up and down on the spot as a car pulled up outside. "Adrikins!" she shouted as it stopped and a young blonde boy stepped out.
The two laughed and embraced while two others climbed out, one a blonde haired woman in a thick warm blue coat and a man with grey hair in a business suit. The grown up Chloe hurried over. "The Agreste. Oh, they used to come to the chateau with us every year! Adrian and I would play together all day when we were little." She waved to them. "Hey! Hey it's me! Chloe!"
Peacock stood at her side and shook her head. "They can't see or hear us Chloe. We can only watch."
As she spoke, the young kids hurried off into the snow, the blonde woman calling out for them not to stay too long but they just carried on, scooping up snow and throwing it at each other, laughing.
After a few minutes, Adrian scooped up a handful of snow and threw it towards her, hitting her right between the eyes, gasping as he saw what he'd done. "Ah! Chlo! You alright?"
She sniffed and wiped her eyes before nodding. "Yeah, I'm Okay."
The boy smiled, rubbing her shoulder. "Maybe… we should… build a snowman instead?"
"Alright."
Chloe sighed as she watched her former self and the boy make the snowman. "He always looked after me when we were growing up. He'd give up his own hat and scarf to make sure I was warm."
"What a lovely boy."
"Yeah, he's a great friend." She sighed, watching herself make the snowman with the blonde and when the little mounds of snow were finally in a style that could be called a 'snow man', the two laughed and hurried inside.
The ghost walked over to the entry, her footsteps not leaving any marks in the snow, heading into the building, Chloe following diligently behind, reaching for the door but instead her hand phased into the wood. Peacock smiled at her side then walked into the door, her whole body passing into it, Chloe closing her eyes and following.
On the other side, time must have jumped as she suddenly found the room softly lit and the sky outside dark. In the middle of the room was a long table with a wonderful spread of food, all of the Agrestes and Bourgeois sat around together, digging into a feast of a meal, laughing and joking. Even Gabriel was telling stories about some fashion disasters he'd seen and the kids were pulling faces at each other.
Chloe walked around the table, looking at everyone there but paying extra attention to the blonde woman at the end. "Adrian's mom… I forgot how beautiful she was." She sighed, watching as Mrs Agreste suddenly stood up.
"Well, come on everyone." She said proudly. "It's Christmas Eve so let's go open some presents. Open one gift tonight. Then the rest tomorrow."
"YA!" The kids laughed, jumping down from their chairs and running over to the tree, kneeling anxiously beside it. Mr Bourgeois and the Agrestes walking over, they sat down near the tree, the ghosts hovering over their shoulders.
The shadow of Chloe frowned as she watched her father pick out one gift and gave it to her and the same for the Agrestes. "I remember the first year the Agrestes joined us. It was just after losing my mom." She sighed. "Having them with us made everything so much… brighter." She sighed as she was given a small round box from Adrian and two more from Gabriel and his wife. "Our first year together I barely knew Adrian and… I didn't know what to give him. So I brought him this silly necklace with an Eiffel Tower on it. It was most of my pocket money so… I don't think much of it but… I'd never seen someone smile so much."
Royal Peacock didn't say anything, just watched the family unwrapped gifts and trade stories on why they got them. Chloe was given a brand new pen by Gabriel to help improve her penmanship, a soft warm silken scarf to keep her warm from Mrs Agreste and a pair of wide white rimmed sunglasses from Adrian. His father chuckling as he saw her put them on. "So that's where those went. I thought I lost them."
"I did ask dad." Adrian whimpered.
"It's alright Adrian." He chuckled.
Finally it was her father's turn and she pulled out a beautiful snow globe with the Eiffel tower and a Christmas tree inside, the base decorated in a Christmas theme. Chloe chuckled and put it on one side, grabbing her dad in a hug. "I love it daddy."
The ghost smiled and looked down on them before Royal Peacock turned to her and held out her fan. "Let's see another Christmas here."
A little sceptical, the girl took hold of the item and the world gradually changed, the snow melting a little to leave bare patches on the ground and the tree was decorated differently, the table was wiped clear as three people walked inside, two being Mr Agreste and the his assistant while a third tiredly walked behind. Adrian, once more, dressed warmly for the winter, waited by the door while his father walked away, Natalia in tow.
The ghost sighed as she watched him. "Oh… I remember this one." She said sadly. "It was the first Christmas after Mrs Agreste went missing."
As Adrian stood by the front door and removed his coat and scarf, a Chloe in a fancy looking coat and hat came running over to him. "Adrikins!" She chuckled happily, grabbing him for a hug. "I missed you!"
"Hey… Chloe." He said slowly, hugging her back. "Sorry we're late. Dad had a meeting."
"It's alright." She said with a high pitched laugh. "Come on, I have something for you!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the Christmas tree in the far corner, kneeling and picking up a small box, holding it out to the boy.
Adrian sighed deeply. "Chloe, its only Christmas eve."
"I know. This is your Christmas eve gift!" She laughed, pressing it into his hands. "I have a Christmas day gift for you as well but I want you to open this one now. Please Adrian?"
With yet another sigh, he took the box and opened it, looking inside to see a low shallow bowl, made from clay but it had been painted in small delicate blue patterns that had also been carved into it and coated to make it all glossy and shiny. He blinked, lifting it up. "Whoa."
"It's a key bowl." Chloe giggled. "Now you will never lose your keys again!"
The boy just stared at it and smiled, putting it on the side safely and hugging his friend. "Thanks' Chlo. I love it."
The two laughed and began to talk again but Royal Peacock just lifted her head a little. "He still has that you know."
"What?" Chloe gasped, turning to the spirit beside her.
"In his room, by his bedroom table. Holds his phone and small change nowadays but he still has it." She turned her back on the past behind them. "You spent a long time on that bowl. Weeks wondering what he'd like and designing it, you must have made 20 of them before you were happy."
Her eyes widened as she looked at the masked hero and blushed a little. "How… how do you know that?"
"I told you, I am the spirit of Christmas Past. I know all these things. Now, come, there is one more Christmas I wish to show you."
Once more the world around her shifted until she was no longer at the chateau, but back in Paris, not a speck of snow to be seen but she was in a large bedroom in a hotel.
The Chloe blinked. "Why am I… I'm back home? I thought you wanted to show me something?"
"We are still in the past." Peacock informed her. "But only 3 years ago. Not long after your father became mayor."
The older one blinked and turned away from her. "Oh."
"You remember it?"
She didn't reply, watching as her own former self came running in, phone to her ear, slamming the door. "What do you mean you're not coming? You promised Daddy!"
_"I know sweetheart but this is an important document, I have to finish it."_
"But it's Christmas Eve." Chloe shouted, stomping her foot.
_"I know sweetheart. But being mayor has taken a lot of my time so I have arranged for some lovely presents to be sent to you. They should be with you any moment."_
"But I want you here daddy! It's bad enough we're not going to the chateau this year but now you can't join me?"
_"I'm sorry my darling. But I… I have work to do."_
"Fine. But those presents better be amazing!" She huffed then closed the phone down, sniffing in the solitude of her room but when there was a knock at her door, she quickly put on a smile and welcome in four bell boys, each one carrying a stack of gifts.
The future Chloe gave a small sigh. "Mr Agreste said Adrian couldn't come over, too busy with model shoots for the spring catalogue. And daddy had too much work to do."
"So you were left alone." Peacock stated with a nod. "On your own on Christmas Eve."
"I got used to it." She huffed. "Besides, I got some amazing gifts that year. Things that weren't even on the shelves! New phone, new shoes, new bags and hats! Everything a girl could dream off."
"Apart from your father." The spirit said.
Chloe frowned as she looked at herself unwrapping gift after gift, her attention solely on what she was being given. A hand closed around her shoulder and she turned to see Peacock staring at her. "It's time to go home. There are other things you need to see. But not with me."
The mayor's teen said nothing, just took her hand and watched herself disappear until she was in her room once again looking at the stack of presents as big, if not bigger than the one she'd just left behind in the past. She frowned to herself and looked for Peacock but she was alone. No one else was there. Just herself and her gifts. Huffing, she turned to her bed and climbed into it, trying to forget the images she'd seen.
Before she could settle down to sleep however, the clock turned over to 1am and her room was filled with yet another bright light but this time with a reddish tint to it and Chloe sat up.
This time, by her bedside, was a woman with black hair in pigtails in a long red dress that had a green front, red and green jewels around her neck and waist. A cloak hung from her shoulders, spotted in red and green while on her face, the familiar mask of Ladybug with a red base and green spots.
The teen squealed. "Ladybug! Oh my goodness! If I'd know you were coming I'd have put on some better clothes. Or got you a gift or…"
"I am not Ladybug." The woman said, bowing her head a little. "I am the Spirit of Christmas Present."
The excitement vanished. "Oh yeah, Royal Peacock was Past so you're Present? And what? Chat Noir is the Future?"
"Yes. But he will come to you later." Ladybug said, walking around the room slowly. "For now, you need to come with me. There are things you need to see this day." She reached to her side and pulled out her yo-yo but like on her mask, the black spots had been replaced with green.
Chloe sighed. "I guess I have to come?"
"Indeed you do." She hummed, turning to the nearest window and throwing her yo-yo at it, the glass parting and out into the distance before holding out her hand for the girl.
Chloe walked to her side and took her hand, holding tight as they were suddenly pulled forwards, out of her room and into the sky, flying over the city below and watching the sun rise blindingly over it. Chloe had to shield her eyes from the light and when she opened them, she was back at school, her classmates walking in with loads of bags in their arms.
She soon spotted Alya and Nino walking towards the classroom door where Marinette was stood with her own bags along with Annamarie who was carrying even more. "Hey Mari!" Alya called happily. "You ready to do the gift swap?"
"We just have to wait for Chloe." Marinette explained, putting her own things down.
Alya groaned. "Do we have to? Let's just put her gifts in a bag and send them to the hotel with a note for her to keep her crummy gifts."
"Alya." Marinette scolded. "That's not the idea of all this."
"Well you're not telling me she'll actually do something nice for us. The girl's a brat. Pure evil. She only cares about getting stuff. Not about why she's getting them."
"But that's not the spirit of Christmas!" Her friend snapped back. "Let's give her a chance, alright? Maybe she's changed. People do. You can't judge everyone from their past. Look at Annamarie; she changed, didn't she?"
Said teen nodded. "I know it might sound odd but… Chloe can be nice. If you give her a chance."
"Or if she wants something from you." Alya mumbled.
"Alya." Marinette pleaded, holding her hands. "Please, give her a chance."
The others lowered their heads in agreement. "Alright. One chance."
The ghost frowned at her. "Marinette… is standing up for me?"
Ladybug turned the other way. "Yes. You see, each person in your class has thought of a gift they think will make you happy. But… well." She waved her hand over the view and it shifted, inside the classroom and Chloe was handing out her key rings.
Most of the class opened the gift and took one look at it before frowning. "Wow…" Alya mocked, holding up the plastic ladybug hanging beside an Eiffel tower on a chain. "How… sweet."
"Look, you didn't want something with me on it so be grateful." Chloe huffed as she came back to the front and dug around in her bag for one more gift.
Sabrina's eyes lit up, holding her hands out expectantly for the item, only to have an identical box that the rest of the class had been given. The girl's whole body sank as she opened the box and saw the same ladybug and tower.
Everyone's eyes were locked on her. "You…" She said at last. "Didn't get me anything?"
"Of course I did." Chloe huffed. "I got you a key ring."
"You got everyone a key ring." Sabrina choked, tears in her eyes. "I thought… as your BFF, you'd… get me something… nice."
"What are you talking about? It is a nice key ring!"
At this, Marinette stood up from her seat. "That's it! I thought… I hoped you'd change Chloe! I thought, maybe… you'd do something nice for once. If not for us then at least for Sabrina. But clearly not." She huffed, knelt to her bag, picked up a box and carelessly threw it at the girl's feet. "Here, take your stupid gift and go. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say you're not welcome here."
The rest of the class soon did the same, giving her a small collection of boxes and items before turning their back on her. Even Sabrina forced a bag into her hands then went over to Marinette, giving her a small box and watching her open it and hug her.
Chloe stood to the side, alone, arms full of things, jaw slack before gasping and holding the gifts tight, walking out of the room without a single glance back.
The ghost Chloe went to follow but Ladybug held her shoulder. "You do not need to see that. This is what you need to see."
The other frowned then went back to look at the class. Once the real Chloe was gone, Marinette turned to everyone else. "Well, since that's dealt with... everyone is here and we are already so why don't we head off to the party!"
Everyone cheered but Chloe turned to the spirit beside her. "Party? What party? I didn't know about any party."
"The class decided to hold the Christmas party at the park near the Agreste home." Ladybug explained. "Since Adrian wasn't allowed to come to the school today. So they are taking the party to him." She smiled and began to follow everyone out of the classroom, watching them collect things from other rooms as they went.
"But… won't Mr Agreste…"
"Gabriel Agreste is away today. He'll be away until Christmas Eve. And Natalia has decided to turn a blind eye to this, as long as everyone is careful." The festive Ladybug explained as the school suddenly vanished and they appeared inside a house where Adrian was sat with a hand on his palm in the dining room, a plate of untouched food before him.
"What's wrong with him?" Chloe asked, walking over and looking into his face. "Adrikins? Adrikins?"
"He wants to be at school, trading gifts with his friends." Ladybug clarified. "It was very difficult for him to buy them with his schedule but now he can't even hand them out." She looked up at the girl. "You think being without your father is bad? At least you have gifts to occupy yourself. Adrian has nothing. No gifts, no Christmas tree, no family, nothing."
"He has me!"
"Does he?" She asked, walking around the room. "Did you invite him to dinner? Did you invite him to join you shopping or go out somewhere?"
Chloe said nothing.
"I didn't think so." Ladybug huffed, a little roughly. "Now, come, I have something else to show you."
"I don't want to."
"You don't have a choice."
The view shimmered and suddenly they were outside in a park right across from the Agreste home, several tables of hot and cold food, warm drinks and even a small bonfire had been set up while a dance floor was on the other but at that moment it was silent. In the background the statue of Ladybug and Chat Noir had been decorated with tinsel to make a funny make-shift tree where gifts rested under it.
Everyone was laughing and joking before Marinette held up her hands. "Alright everyone! Nino has gone to get Adrian so everyone hide! Come on, quickly!"
The class soon did scamper to their hiding places, waiting as Nino came out of the house, his hands covering a confused Adrian's eyes as they walked over the road. "N-Nino! What's all this about?"
"Wait and see dude."
"I can't see anything!"
"Well, you can now!" Nino shouted loudly and removed his hands, everyone popping up and shouting 'Merry Christmas' at the model.
The ghost Chloe blinked as she watched him take it in and smile and laugh, grabbing whoever was closest for a hug. "Guys! This is amazing! I… I thought you'd forgotten about me!"
"No way dude!"
"You're one of us!"
"Merry Christmas Adrian!"
"Merry Christmas Everyone!" He laughed. "Man, if you'd told me, I would have brought your gifts!"
"Adrian."
He turned at the voice and saw Natalia behind him, holding out a small pile of items, each one quite badly wrapped. He gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks Natalia."
"Be home by 6." She said then turned and walked back, rubbing her arms but paused and looked back at him. "And Merry Christmas."
The ghost Ladybug nodded. "He'll be late home, half an hour late, frozen to the bone but happy. You see Chloe, Adrian is a very wealthy boy. And yet these gifts; the gifts he'll be given by his class, the cheap gloves and CD's of music he already has… they mean more to him than anything else. Because they come with love and thought."
Chloe stared at the scene before her for a bit longer, watching everyone interact. She walked towards them, watching them talking and having a great time together, even Sabrina was there and joining in with the festivities. They all looked so happy.
Ladybug looked at the invisible girl beside her then lifted up her yo-yo and threw it out, pausing to hold out her hand. "Come, I have one more thing to show you."
Chloe looked at the hand then took hold and allowed herself to be pulled away. The light blinded her and when she could see, she looked around. "Daddy's office?"
Ladybug said nothing, just turned her head to the desk where Mr Bourgeois was sat, working hard at a small mountain of paperwork before him. "Signed… Monsieur… Bourgeois." He said aloud as he signed something off. Groaning the man sat up and stretched before dropping his head into his hands with exhaustion, looking at the pile and sighed. "Better get onto the next one." He said, picking it up and reading the contents.
The ghost looked at him then at the spirit. "Is… is this what he's doing? Instead of being with me?"
"Yes. These are all contracts. Ones that need to be approved or declined before the New Year, both from his role as mayor and as the owner of the hotel. The more he can get done, the more he can expect to earn."
The mayor sighed again, getting their attention as he put the paper away but before he picked up the next one, he turned to a picture frame on his desk and smiled. "I'm sorry my little angel. I wish I could be with you now." He rubbed the image warmly. "But daddy will make it better, I promise."
"He… he's working hard… for me?"
"How do you think he pays for your gifts?" Ladybug looked at the other then turned away. "My times almost up. Come, let's leave this place."
Turning away, Chloe rubbed her arms from the cold even if she couldn't feel it as the office slowly faded away back into her bedroom. She turned around to speak to the hero but once more she was alone so she let out a sigh and sat on her bed, watching the clock and waiting.
~#~
It was the longest three minutes of her life but finally there was a blackish green light and she looked up to see Chat Noir before her. He looked very much like his normal form apart from the black and gold staff in his hands and a thick hooded cape hiding most of his hair and trailing behind him. Even with the hood, he still wore a mask and his dark green eyes shone in the shadows.
Chloe took a deep breath and stood off her bed. "Let me guess, not Chat Noir?"
He gave a small chuckle. "No, I'm not."
"Ghost of Christmas Future?"
"I prefer 'Yet to Come' but yes."
The blonde looked away. "Well... what are you waiting for? Are we doing this or not?"
"You don't sound very eager." The spirit commented as he walked towards her. "Are you afraid of what you'll see?"
Chloe looked at him then shrugged. "I don't know anymore."
"Then... let's find out." With a wave of his staff, the room began to change, the dark outside turning to a bright blue and the room becoming decorated in beautiful Christmas garlands.
And a pile of gifts materialised that took up almost all of the room. A Chloe walked inside, wearing a brand new coat and admiring a bracelet on her wrist. "Oh, daddy has such amazing tastes." She chuckled to herself then looked at the mountain of gifts and sighed happily. "I should kick up a fuss about Christmas more often."
The ghost turned to her guide with a frown. "What?"
"To pay for your extravagant tastes, your father has opened up a new hotel in Spain and now spends most of his time there managing it. And when he said he wouldn't be able to come back for Christmas, you started crying and screaming with the full intentions of making him feel guilty." Chat looked at her deeper. "Would you like to know the value of that mountain of gifts? After all, that's all you care about, isn't it?"
Chloe once more had no response and just watched her future self as her phone went off with an alarm. She groaned as she looked at it. "Err, great, time for school." She then turned and grabbed her school bad from the table by the door.
The cat turned to her and followed but as they went out the door, they were transported back to the school in a new classroom, once more decorated with festive designs. The ghost Chloe took in everyone and couldn't help but think not many of them had changed since their past forms, nothing more than a few hair styles and clothing choices. But mostly it was the seating arrangements in the class that had changed; Alya was now sat next to Nino on the second row, Adrian was sat with Marinette at the front and Annamarie was with Sabrina on the front right hand side. There were other changes but those were the only ones Chloe cared about.
"W-what... what's going on here?" She asked Chat.
The black cloaked figure shrugged. "Adrian asked Marinette out about two years ago and after joining them for a few dates, Nino and Alya decided to try it as well. They are really happy together."
"A-Adrian is DATING!" Chloe screamed so loud the spirit winced. "How could this happen?"
The cat gave a slight Cheshire grin. "He realised how much of a great friend she was after she invited him to Christmas dinner with her family, it didn't take him long to realise that 'friend' was the wrong word."
"But Adrian belongs with me!"
"I think you have other things to worry about." The spirit said just before the door to the classroom opened and Chloe stalked in, bag in hand. Everyone turned to stare at her before going back to their conversations as if nothing had happened.
The ghost Chloe watched as the future her walked in to the class and… climbed all the way to the top of the stairs and sat at the very back on her own. Her jaw dropped. "WHAT! Why am I sat at the BACK of the room!"
"That happened a few Christmas's ago." Chat sighed and waved his staff over the view, making it change to another Christmas with Chloe stood before Sabrina with one hand on her hip and a frown on her face as she waved a box of some kind in front of her.
"What is the meaning of this Sabrina? I told you I wanted the purple one! So why did you get me the _pink_ one!"
"B-be-because the purple was out of stock. I was too late to get it..."
"Too lazy more like." She huffed. "You should have gotten their sooner."
Sabrina lowered her head. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I really tried." She whimpered, her voice almost in tears.
"I don't CARE! I wanted the purple one! You have RUINED Christmas for me! I hope you're proud."
"That's enough Chloe!"
The two girls turned to see who had spoken to find Annamarie before them, her arms folded and her eyes narrow. "Chloe, I swear, you say one more word, I will knock you into next week. How DARE you speak to her like that!"
"How dare I? How dare you!" Chloe huffed, stepping over to the other girl. "This is nothing to do with you, Annamarie!"
"It has everything to do with me when you are bullying a very smart, kind and brave young woman that you keep treating like a slave." She snapped back. "And if there is one thing I hate; it's bullies." Her gaze turned to Sabrina before stepping over and touching her shoulder. "You alright Sabrina?"
The ginger looked up, and sniffed, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. "I... I..." she said, barely keeping herself together.
"Here..." The other said, pulling out a tissue. "Dry your eyes. And then you and I will go get a hot chocolate. My treat. I even know a great cafe not far from here. How does that sound?"
Chloe stomped her foot. "I'm not done with you Sabrina."
"Yes, you are Chloe." Annamarie said as Sabrina dried her eyes. "Don't you dare speak to her again, understand?"
"You tell me off for telling her what to do and then do the same thing?" The blonde shifted her gaze to the other teen. "Sabrina, you don't have to do what she tells you. So come here."
Wiping the last of her tears, Sabrina looked from the tissue to the brunette who had given it to her then over to Chloe. "No Chloe. I've had enough. I try. I try and try to make you happy but you never do anything for me in return. A... a friendship is give and take and all you do is take." She smiled at Annamarie and nodded. "Lets go get that hot chocolate."
"I'm still buying." She chuckled, turning their back on Chloe and walking away, ignoring the teen as she snapped that she and Sabrina were over and she would never take her back.
Chat nodded. "You didn't. And your 'best friend' couldn't have been happier. She and Annamarie are really close now and Sabrina has even started helping out at the ballet where she has made even more friends. It's really helped her self-confidence."
The past Chloe frowned then looked away. "And what about me?"
"You had your daddy buy you gifts to make the 'heart break' better. You got a new phone out of it."
"But... what about... me?"
Chat turned and tipped his head a little. "What do you mean? You only care about the physical things, right? Who cares what happened to your friend."
She thought about it then lowered her gaze. "I guess."
After allowing her to take in the image; watching as everyone talked and she was left alone with her phone at the back, the cloaked figure stepped over towards the door. "This is only a few years from your current moment. Let's see what's even further ahead for you."
Hesitant, Chloe walked after him, watching as the world shifted and she found herself outside in a street, rain pouring down and the world dark. The teenager turned to her guide in this dark place and frowned. "What's going on now?"
He pointed down the road.
Turning, Chloe looked to see a blonde woman with boy short hair walking down the road, head down and pulling a thin looking coat up tighter to her body. As a cold wind blew, the woman lifted her head and the ghost gasped in horror as she saw her own face look up.
"Wh-what happened to me? I... I look..."
"Poor?" Chat finished. "You are. Your father tried to expand too quickly, opened too many hotels and didn't take the time to ensure they were set up correctly. About a year ago, the business liquidated and after legal fees and employment payments, it left you and your father penniless."
Chloe felt her jaw drop as she looked at her fate and the shadow she had become, watching as she walked down the street. "Where am I going?"
"It's Christmas day and you are going to work."
"Work? Where? Doing what? Why today?"
"You work in a restaurant as a waitress. It's low pay and hard hours but it's the best you could get with your grades from school." The green eyes turned to look at her closer. "Probably should have paid more attention."
Chloe didn't reply, she just followed herself into a small restaurant and soon began to work; taking orders and clearing tables, watching people shout at her when she got things wrong or tried to flirt with her and she just took their insults and orders with a smile.
Chat smiled to himself before waving his staff, changing the view from a full restaurant to an empty one as the future Chloe pulled her coat back on and headed out once more but at least the rain had stopped.
The spirit and past Chloe followed her, watching as she headed away, turning a corner and bumping into someone coming the other way. She gasped on seeing who it was. "K-Kim!"
He stared at her for a bit. "Do I know you?"
"It's me! Chloe. We went to school together?"
The fully grown man blinked at her. "Chloe? Whoa, I hardly recognised you. How you doing?"
"I… I've been better." She confessed. "What about you? What you doing out at this time?"
"Ah, I'm just going to Mari and Adrian's party."
The other blinked. "Party?"
Kim gulped. "Umm… yeah… they are holding a big party tonight, like a reunion for everyone from school."
"Oh."
He forced a smile. "I'm sure you could come if you want? We could go together now if you like?"
Glancing down at her coat, Chloe bit her lip. "I'm not dressed for a party."
"Well, it's at the manor. Come along if you want." He explained before stepping around her. "And Merry Christmas Chloe."
The short haired blonde sighed as she turned back to walking home, passing a shop with her reflection in the window. "Why shouldn't I go?" She asked herself. "I mean, if anyone will take me in, Marinette and Adrian will." She smiled at her image then with a burst of joy hurried to her little run down home she and her father shared and changed into the best, cleanest dress she still had, an echo of her former shopping choices but it was enough.
Once more she hurried across the city to the beautiful white home of the Agreste's, the whole building lit up like a star in the darkness and from the street the sounds of music and chatter could be heard.
Hurrying to the door, since the gate had long been dismantled when Adrian had taken ownership, she pressed the doorbell and waited, brushing her hair back and ensuring she looked her best.
The door eventually opened but it wasn't the blonde or blackette that opened it. It was another face from the past.
Sabrina looked at her old best friend and frowned. "Chloe? What are you doing here?"
"I…I ran into Kim earlier and he said Adrian was having a party for everyone from school. So… here I am."
The other gave a steely stare. "Did you bring anything?"
"What?"
"Where are your gifts? Or do you just expect everyone to give you something? I've heard about your problem's Chloe so don't you dare think anyone here is going to give you anything. Not after the way you treated us before."
"But…" she started then trailed off.
"But what, Chloe?" The ginger said, stepping out of the doorway and glaring at the other. "But nothing. You're not coming into this house and ruining Christmas for everyone. So go away." And with that, she slammed the door in her face.
From the doorway, Chloe could just about hear someone inside asking who had been at the door. To which Sabrina replied 'no one important.'
As the rejected future Chloe turned away, the teenager turned to the ghost before her. "No… no this can't be right… this can't be my future."
"If you carry on the way you have been; it is." Chat explained as he turned away from her and pulled up his hood once more.
"But… things don't have to be this way… right?"
He didn't reply, his whole form fading away into darkness that had crept around them. As he vanished completely Chloe suddenly noticed the music and noise from inside had stopped and when she looked, the mansion was dark and grim. "What... what's going on?" She called, looking for her future self but that too was gone. "Hello? Hello? Chat? Ladybug? Peacock? Anyone?" She wandered for a bit in the darkness, hoping to find something but she stopped when she heard a soft tapping sound that was gradually getting closer.
Turning to try and find the source of the sound, the blonde frowned. "H-hello? Anyone there?"
The tapping continued to draw nearer until slowly a figure appeared out of the darkness, dressed in a long cloak very much like Chat's but this one wrapped all around his body and trailed back into the blackness. The only part that was exposed was a thin bony hand that was holding a black cane topped with a purple stone, tapping on the ground at they got gradually closer.
Chloe backed off from the strange, disturbing figure. "W-Who are you? What do you want?"
"I want you." Came a hissing echoing voice as the fingers rolled against the stone. "I want you and your black heart. I want the misery you cause."
The blonde continued to back off from him until her back pressed against a wall of some kind that moved when she touched it, little fluttering wings caressing her skin as she did. The other figure took a step towards her. "I want that dark selfish heart." He stepped forwards, cane tapping once more on the ground to mark his movement. "In return, I will show you what fate you have before you."
"I... I've already seen my future." Chloe stammered, eyes locked on him, even if she couldn't see all of him.
The other laughed. "No, little girl. What that kitten showed you was your best future. One with employment, hope and possibility to move forwards." He took another step and Chloe swore she saw a flash of a skull for a second as he leant forwards. "Would you like to see where your path truly leads?"
The cane lifted to point behind her and the wall broke away in a swarm of black butterflies, all of them flying around Chloe and getting into her face, making her scream and panic. At last they left her and she lowered her arms to see what they had been hiding, backing away from the small round mark on the ground. She knew a tomb stone when she saw one. "No..."
"Look." The other laughed, pointing at it. "Look what future is truly before you."
"No... I don't want to!" Chloe turned on the spot but the stone was still before her, as if following her. She looked at it and tried to back off but it followed her step for step. Carved into the plain stone was the name 'Chloe Bourgeois'. No other words. Just the date of her birth and below it... "25th December 20..." the rest was hidden by a single butterfly.
The darkness pressed on her back. "Want me to remove it?" He asked, pointing to the butterfly and it began to crawl up the cane, revealing a 1.
Chloe panicked. "No! No!" She turned around to face the one behind her. "No! The... the future can be changed! I... I won't let this happen!"
"Your heart is already cold and dark. That cannot be changed."
"It can! I swear! I can change! Give me a chance!" She begged trying to get away from him.
He followed, the darkness and butterflies moving to consume Chloe. "You cannot change."
"I can!" She called out, struggling to get free. "I can! I can change! Please! Give me a chance! I'll show you! I can CHANGE!"
As the darkness completely surrounded her, Chloe continued to fight to get free before finding something hard colliding with her knees. Terror still gripped her as she tried to get away and found herself in her room, safe and warm. She looked it over once more then checked her phone; 8:12 December 16th 2016.
It was the last day of school! The last day everyone would be together! She hadn't missed it!
She laughed as she looked around her room. "I can change... I've got a chance to change!" She laughed and jumped around for a moment. "Oh thank you spirits! I'll show you! I'll show you I can change." She laughed once more and then tried to think. "The school, the party... oh! I know what to do!" She turned to her phone and pressed at the keys, loading up her father's number.
It rang and soon he answered. "Daddy? Daddy listen... first, Merry Christmas! Second, I need you to come and help me wrap up my gifts…. No daddy, I don't want some professional, I want you! I want to spend some time with you! I don't care if you don't have anything for me, I just want to see my dad. Please! Oh and then I need your help with something."
~#~
At the school, Marinette sighed, looking at the empty seat where Chloe normally sat. "Well, I guess she decided not to come after all."
"Good riddance." Alya huffed. "We don't need her and her tacky gifts."
"Alya." Annamarie hissed. "Come on."
"Well it's true." The reporter stuck. "Look, let's just leave. We are wasting time. We have a party to set up!"
Annamarie glared at her then stepped over to the pig tailed girl. "Marinette? She has a point, we're running out of time."
"Yeah." The other sighed, turning to the class. "Come on, let's go."
At her word, together the class collected their belongings and goodies from the other rooms and headed over to the park. However, as they got closer to the corner they found the park had been transformed; a large white marquee had been set up, covering most of it up but the curtains had been pulled back to reveal what was inside.
On the far side of the tent was a Christmas tree decked in red, green and blue decorations, the roof filled with twinkling lights and a dance floor three times better than anything they could have produced.
Nearest to the door was a buffet banquet covered with small tarts, snacks, cooked meats, treats, a Christmas cake, trifles and a whole collection of drinks suitable for the teenagers, along with a small mountain of Christmas crackers.
As Nino, Marinette, Alya and Annamarie stepped inside, a young woman who had been setting up walked over to them. "Hello, you must be the Francoise Students?"
"Umm… yeah?"
"I was asked to tell you to please enjoy the party. An anonymous donor wanted you to have the best day ever. Please, everything here is for you."
"Anonymous?" Marinette frowned. "Who?"
Beside her, Annamarie gave her a nudge. "That's kinda against the idea of anonymous Marinette." She laughed. "But… this is amazing!"
"Yeah!"
"Come on everyone! Let's get our stuff set up and get Adrian! Get this party started!"
Still slightly in shock from it all, the class got to work, helping the small team of staff to finish setting up, adding their own decorations to the room and putting their gifts under the tree where they found a collection had already been placed.
Finally Nino left them and went to the mansion nearby to collect Adrian, getting him blindfolded into the marquee where the whole class jumped out and cheered. His face made it all worthwhile.
For hours they celebrated, eating, drinking, dancing and enjoying themselves before deciding to tackle the gifts. They opened each and every one including the ones from the benefactor of their party, finding not only high value items but personal ones for each of them.
However, as Adrian came to his and he opened his gift, he found a small handmade bowl before him.
Alya, who had been watching him, frowned. "That's… a little weird. Why did you get that?"
Adrian laughed to himself. "I have one just like this in my room." He said. "And I know who's arranged the party."
Everyone in ear shot soon turned to look at him. "What?"
"Who?"
"Chloe."
Their jaws went slack in amazement. "What?"
"Our Chloe?"
"Spoiled greedy Chloe?"
"Hey, I resent that!"
They turned on the spot and found Chloe stood in the entrance of the marquee in a red dress with white trim, a matching Santa hat on her head. She folded her arms and looked away. "I'm allowed to be generous at least once a year right."
Everyone stared at her before Alya lifted her jaw from the floor. "You… you did all this?" She managed, waving a hand at their party. "Why?"
The blonde shrugged and tried to look unbothered by it but the pink hue to her cheeks proved otherwise. "I… I wanted to… well… I dunno. I just… you guys… you guys were trying to be nice to me… even when I've been… well… not very nice to you. So… just this once… I wanted to… to try and be nice back. Not that I'm not nice all the time but try and be extra nice."
The teens looked at each other before Marinette stepped forwards and smiled, grabbing the mayor's daughter in a tight hug before letting her go and grinning. "Merry Christmas Chloe."
Her rival smiled back. "Merry Christmas Marinette."
The ballet dancer suddenly lifted her head up. "Come on! Let's get back to partying!"
Everyone cheered and did just that; went back to their celebrations, being sure to include Chloe in them all.
And even if by the start of the New Year, Chloe Bourgeois went back to her cold selfish ways, it was never as great as it had been and when Christmas came around, she always put together the best party and invited not only her classmates but anyone in her life that mattered.
She stopped demanding gifts for herself and instead began thinking what others would like and gradually the spirit of Christmas and what it was meant to mean, thinking of others, leaked further and further back in her year until it was a constant. It took time but eventually she held the joy and generosity of Christmas all year round.
And should she ever forget it, all she had to do was see the three heroes battling to keep their city safe and she'd remember the spirits that took their form and their message; to think of others before yourself and be grateful for what and who you have, no matter how little.
Merry Christmas Everyone, Miraculous Bless You All!
~~~~~~~~~#~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Hey everyone. I've been planning this for a while but you'd be amazed by how hard it has been. Anyway, let me explain why I did this; I studied a Christmas Carol at school and even back then I knew there was more than one kind of 'Scrooge'.
Yes there is the kind that hate Christmas, who don't care about it and just think it's one day of the year.
But there is another.
The kind that only care about getting things for Christmas, what I called at school a 'Present Scrooge' only wanting gifts and money and caring about the value of items.
That isn't the point to Christmas. It's about being with those you love and care about.
This year is a very valuable Christmas to me personally.
10 years ago on the 7th of December 2006, Christmas came to a sudden and sad halt.
My grandfather, my mom's father and a local councillor went out to a meeting to speak to some people about setting up traffic precautions near a school after a young boy was knocked down and killed.
Sadly, while on his way back from that meeting, he had a heart attack, crashed the car and died on the scene. No one else was hurt luckily but it was a heart break for me.
My granddad was a great influence on my life and his death was the start of a chain reaction that impacted and changed my whole life in both a good and bad way.
But he always wanted to give back to the people and community around him, to make a difference. He never wanted to do it to be recognised or thanked but to make a difference. That was him all year around.
So this year, as you sit and enjoy your Christmas dinner, have a look around the table and think about those you have with you. They love you. They might not always show it, they might never say it but the fact they are there means it.
And even if you lose someone then they never leave you but try to remember them at that time.
~#~
On a happier note, thank you so much to everyone who has supported me over the last few years and I hope you will continue to enjoy Turning a Feather, Flock of Feathers and Feathers Flight.
Merry Christmas Everyone and A Happy New Year!