A CLAMP Christmas Carol

By: Jaha Canon

Disclaimer: All of the characters I obviously don't own… I obviously don't own!

Basically, this is Christmas Carol with Takeshi as Scrooge.

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This story takes place in the business district of Tokyo- in a cold, bleak office. There was Takeshi- the owner of this office and the business it sits in. Never a day went by without his employees somehow displeasing him, causing him to scold them unfairly. Greedy Takeshi didn't even pay them a reasonable amount. One day, Takeshi sat alone in his office, counting money, when an owner from a richer business came rushing in.

"Merry Christmas, Takepon!" the visitor exclaimed. He grabbed Takeshi into a hug.

"Don't call me that, Kentarou." Takeshi grumbled as he pushed him away, "and why do you always drop in here, don't you have your own business?"

Kentarou looked hurt, "I keep proposing mergers, but you keep saying no…"

"For good reasons." Takeshi replied coldly, "Why aren't you at your own business?"

Kentarou smiled, "Oh! I closed down my business for the holidays!" he paused and looked around, "Why aren't you giving your employees some time off?"

Takeshi frowned, "And then they would expect me to pay them for those days off? Not likely!"

"Well," Kentarou smiled a reply "it your business Takepon! Would you like to come to my Christmas party?"

"No"

"Why not, Takepon?"

Takeshi began guiding Kentarou towards the door.

"Because Christmas is a humbug!" Takeshi replied.

Kentarou blinked, "A what?"

Takeshi led Kentarou through the doorway.

"Good bye!" he said as he started to shut the door.

-But Kentarou put his foot in the door.

"I'm sorry to find you so grouchy, Takepon! But I will return each year with the same invitation!"

"GOOD BYE!"

-SLAM-

Takeshi no longer felt like doing work, he noticed it was 7 'O' Clock.

"I'm going home." he grumbled.

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Takeshi walked up to the door to his house. He couldn't help but notice his doorknocker looked unusual. He decided to ignore it and proceed into his house. Little did he know, his house had a visitor.

"Takeshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" came a ghostly call.

"What?" Takeshi jumped, startled. He looked around and found nothing.

"Takeshiiiiiiii!"

"That sounds like- no, but it can't be, he's been dead for seven years now!" Takeshi said, he was about to sit down until-

"TAKESHIIIIIIIIIII!" the voice called as a ghost emerged from the front door.

"What? Who are you?" Takeshi said trembling.

The ghost frowned. "Ask me who I was."

"Well, who were you?"

"In life, I was your business partner, Sukibayashi." the ghost replied.

"Sukibayashi?" Takeshi said, confused "You were never this intimidating!"

"See these chains?" Sukibayashi asked.

"Yes, why are you wearing them?"

"This is my punishment for being a cruel employer and human being." Sukibayashi answered.

"What are you talking about?" Takeshi asked, "You were a fair employer and an annoyingly over-generous with wages!"

"Listen Takeshi," Sukibayashi answered, "this casting isn't the best possible, but hear me out anyways."

Takeshi sat down to listen.

"With the way things are going on, this will be your fate." Sukibayashi lifted his arms to show Takeshi the chains again.

"No…" Takeshi said, "surely I get some sort of chance, right?"

"You will be visited by three ghosts tonight… that is all I have to say." Sukibayashi said. He turned to walk through the wall but crashed.

Sukibayashi exited through the door.

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Takeshi looked around for the first spirit that would be visiting him. He walked up to his window and looked outside. When he turned around there was someone behind him. A young child with black hair. He jumped back.

"Are you the first spirit?" he asked.

"I would sure hope so!" the spirit replied.

"Who are you?"

"I am The Spirit of Christmas Past! …but you can call me Akira!"

"So… why exactly are you here?" Takeshi asked.

"To help you out!" Akira said smiling.

"I think I need sleep more than your services."

"I think you should come with me… come on!" Akira said as he walked up to the window and opened it.

"Can't we take the door? I kind of can't fly…"

"If you touch my arm, you can!" Akira held out his arm and Takeshi grabbed his sleeve, and with that, they floated into the hair.

"We're flying, we're flying! Where are we going?"

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End Chapter 1

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