A/N: This one's pretty long. And also, original characters are expected yet again, so . . . . . . .

Original characters: The other members of the Takanashi family, aside from Itsuki (who is also an OC), Touka, Rikka, and their deceased father:

Satoshi Takanashi - The second eldest son.

Ritsuko Takanashi - Third eldest after Touka.

Junko Takanashi - The second youngest daughter.

A Chuu-2 Christmas Carol

Stave 3

Dark Flame Master . . . . . of Christmas Present

Sanae was unable to sleep in her bed, thinking her thoughts up. She still didn't forget the words of Matthew Kurisu's ghost.

When the clock struck at two, she heard a cackling voice.

Later on, the door leaving her bedroom suddenly lit up, opening in front of Sanae as she got up from her bed.

"Was that light coming from an alternate dimension?" she thought to herself.

"Sanae, you can enter," a deep masculine voice said.

The twin-tailed girl exited out of her bedroom, in aghast of what she saw.

The living room was bedecked with several Christmas decorations.

There also appeared a long table filled with food, dessert and beverages.

The tall Christmas tree sparkled up the room, where a certain teenage boy sat on top of it.

He was holding a lit-up torch that resembled a cornucopia. He was also dressed in a green robed version of his signature gothic black coat and black belted pants, and his brown hair covered up most of his face.

"Get embraced by the spirit of Christmas! You must know me better!"

"Dark Flame Master?"

"Yes, I am the Dark Flame Master, filling in as the Ghost of Christmas Present," said the Ghost, cackling, "You haven't seen the likes of me before, did you?"

"Uh, yes. You call yourself Yuuta Togashi, right?"

"Yes, but an alternate persona of him, to be specific," the Ghost replied, continuing, "Have you walked with my brothers?"

"Uh, no. You have that many brothers?"

The Ghost cackled, answering, "It's over 2,000!"

Sanae thought, "What? 2,000? There's no way that can be deathly right!"

"More specifically, 2,012 of them. It's good to know that the Mayan apocalypse that would've purged the world into darkness didn't happen just to hinder my brother's existence."

"Oh, I see. You've got a scabbard, but do you still have that sword with you?"

The Ghost looked at the scabbard latched beside his waist. Indeed, there was no sword that goes with it.

"Peace and goodwill, that's why."

"Spirit, take me to where you will," Sanae said nervously.

The Ghost once again cackled, eventually saying, "But first, you must touch my robe."

Sanae went closer to the Ghost and simply did what she did, groping the strap.

Sparks flew over from the Ghost's cornucopia-like torch, sprinkling to the ground. Much to Sanae's aghast, the floor turned transparent, revealing a view of the Dekomori residence from above in the evening sky.

She was starting to grip at the strap of the Ghost's robe as the room literally soared high up throughout the snowing city through the latter's control. Later on, she glanced at an aerial view of two people making snowballs and throwing them right at each other.

After that, she became amazed, noticing several people in a shopping mall, planning some purchases before the eleventh hour passed by. Some others were outside, window shopping.

"It's so beautiful," she then said, "But those people outside appear not to have money. Isn't Christmas supposed to be celebrating fancy feasts and exchanging fancy gifts in fancy abodes? I do think that it's been deathly done in your name."

The Ghost had a frowning look on his face, slightly tilting the room. He said, "There are some people from this dimension who think they know me and my brothers, and yet, they do commit selfishness and ill will in our name. My brothers and I do not know these people and treat them like they were thrown into the flames of darkness. So, whatever you do, don't blame their wrongdoings to us."

"Uh, yeah," Sanae said, rubbing her nape.

The two then warped themselves to the Takanashi family house, located a few miles away from the city.

Sanae said, "I take it that this bleak, not-so-fancy house is some sort of significance."

"That is all what a good servant of your masters can afford for only getting a small amount of yen a week. You should've done something to give him a better life."

Most of the Takanashi family were preparing for dinner at the dining table. At that time, Ritsuko has just arrived from the door.

"Ma, the food is going to be prepared soon, and it's very delicious."

Ms. Takanshi replied, "Shut the door please."

Ritsuko shut the door, as Ms. Takanashi continued, "Just what happened to Itsuki?"

"He'll be coming here anytime soon," Ritsuko said.

"And I'm sure Touka will also be here anytime soon," said Ms. Takanashi.

And yes, Touka was there at the door, entering.

"There's Touka," Ritsuko said as she let Touka in, "Say, you're a cook in Italy, right? You must wait until you see the food we prepared."

Ms. Takanashi said, "Ritsuko, go and get the food from the kitchen."

As Ritsuko left out of the scene, she continued, "Thank goodness Touka's here. My dear, how's life going?"

"I had a lot of work to finish and clear up in Italy one day before I came here."

"Never mind that, as long as you are here. Sit down at the kotatsu and warm up."

Satoshi looked at the window and said, "I think Itsuki's coming. Touka, hide under the kotatsu."

"But it's too small for her to get in, and she could risk getting a burn," Junko said, "I know. She must hide under the stairs!"

Junko brought Touka inside a closet under the stairs and let her hide there.

The next one to enter was Itsuki, no doubt.

Not just him, but Rikka was here too, upon his shoulders.

Unfortunately, she bore a crutch because she was hurt, and her limbs were supported by an iron frame. She still had her eyepatch worn on her right eye.

"Tell me, where's Touka?" Itsuki said.

Ms. Takanashi replied, "I don't think she is coming."

"There's no way that can be right, Ma. My younger sister's not coming on Christmas Day?"

Touka slowly showed up from below the stairs, but Itsuki already noticed her as he said, "Oh, there you are."

Satoshi said, "Bro, we got you."

Touka said, "You see, I cannot bear to see you feeling disappointed."

Itsuki answered, "It's so good to see you again after a long while, Touka."

Junko said, "Rikka, I think I'm smelling the food getting cooked. Care to see it?"

While she proceeded with Rikka to the kitchen, Ms. Takanashi asked, "Itsuki, how's Rikka doing? Did she behave?"

"Ma, she's good as gold. And she's getting better too," Itsuki said, "Somehow, she's thoughtful sitting by herself so much, and just as you would expect from her so-called Wicked Eye, she's still thinking of the strangest things you've ever heard. She was apparently wishing that people will come to our temple because she was crippled, and it would be pleasant enough for them to remember Christmas Day, who made the beggars walk and the blind be able to see."

Ms. Takanashi started to shed a tear while Itsuki continued, "I believe she's getting stronger everyday, Ma."

Junko and Rikka went back from the kitchen.

Rikka said, "The white liquid, it tastes good."

Junko added, "What she really means is, she liked the soup!"

The Takanashi family gathered at the table as Ritsuko brought in to the center of the table a platter of fried buttered chicken. The plates and utensils were apparently placed at the table.

"That was well done," Ms. Takanashi said.

Touka said, "I never expected to see the buttered fried chicken to be well cooked."

"And a magnificent one, that's for sure," Ms. Takanashi continued, "But I hope that someday, we will get to taste Christmas cake."

"I'll prepare it next time," Touka replied, "Next time."

More food was being placed into the table. Pizza, a platter of rice, bowls of ramen and miso soup, and sushi were placed beside the platter of fried butter chicken.

"A toast . . . . . . to Dekomori Sanae, daughter of the founders of this wonderful feast," Itsuki said, holding a glass of cola.

"Daughter of the founders of this wonderful feast . . . . . . . not!" Satoshi said, "If only she was here this whole time just to see Rikka. I'd rather give her a piece of advice to feast upon, and I'm also expecting her to have a good appetite for it!"

Sanae tried to move away from the sight, but the Ghost dragged her twin-tailed hair, stopping her.

Itsuki said, "Ma, my brothers and sisters, grandpa and grandma, it's Christmas Day. Papa is gone, but nevertheless, we will still celebrate it."

"Christmas Day?" Satoshi ranted, slamming his fist at the table, "Who's drinking to the health of some girl who's so insane, crazy, stingy, and emotionally reclusive to society as much as Sanae Dekomori? You know she is, bro. While most of us here are all aware about her, no one knows it better than you do."

"But then and then again, Satoshi, it's Christmas. Calm down," Itsuki answered, "You already knew the drill by now."

"Listen up, bro. I'll drink her health for your sake and this day, not hers. So, Ma, can we care to do a toast?"

Everyone stood to do a toast with their glasses as Ms. Takanashi said, "A merry Christmas and a happy New Year."

Satoshi then continued, "I'm expecting Sanae to be very merry and very happy, no doubt!"

"So, a merry Christmas to us all once more," Itsuki said, "May God bless us."

The family then echoed the last few lines that Itsuki gave.

"God bless us, everyone," Rikka said softly, also doing a toast.

While the family spent their Christmas feast, Sanae asked, "Spirit, tell me. Will Master be . . . . "

The Ghost interrupted, saying, "I see a vacant chair . . . . . in one corner of this room, and a crutch without an owner . . . . . . that was carefully preserved."

"Spirit, tell me if Master will be spared."

"If these shadows do not change in the future, she will most likely be vanished by the flames of darkness."

"No! This can't happen to Master, in death's name. I am her servant, after all."

The Ghost brought out a handheld voice recorder, playing an audio of Sanae saying, "Well, I hope these people jumped off to a parallel world to make the population less crowded!"

With a push of the stop button, the voice recorder vanished into a dark purple flame. The Ghost then asked, "You said that, right?"

Sanae gasped, saying, "Why would I?"

"It records every speech you make, so denying isn't going to work," the Ghost smirked, adding, "Ha, just as planned."

Whimpering, Sanae thought, "I never thought that Master would possibly be thrown into darkness because of what I just said."

The view of the dining room in the Takanashi residence vanished, shifting to the scene inside a restaurant not far from Sanae Dekomori's residence where Mitsuki and some of Sanae Dekomori's friends in school had a guessing game. Every person had a glass of punch to drink.

Sanae thought, "I thought Mitsuki said she would dine at my abode along with my friends at school. Did she lie to me?"

Laughter burst out in the room as Mitsuki and Sanae's schoolmates made their guesses.

"Is it a Pokemon?"

"No."

"A Digimon?"

"Nope."

"Is it a rather disagreeable animal?"

"Yes."

"Is it an creature that grunts and growls?"

"Yes, and a close one at that."

". . . . . . and is Japanese?"

"Yes."

"Was that a horse?"

"No."

"An ass?"

"Both yes and no."

"I think I know who it is, it's your good ol' friend, Sanae Dekomori!"

"Yes, you did it!" Mitsuki replied, laughing with glee along with the other people.

Sanae frowned, continuing to glance.

"Christmas a humbug? Now, did she actually say that?" Mitsuki said.

A female voice said, "As if. And I knew it that she believes."

Sanae tried to move away, but once again, the Ghost dragged her twin-tailed hair.

"I have gotten no patience over her, Mitsuki," a male voice said.

"But I feel sorry for her though, so I have," Mitsuki replied, "It's just that she is horribly failing to see her own mistakes and apparently suffering from this mental disorder called chuunibyou. She comes to hate us, refuses to dine with us, and now, she wasted a great opportunity witnessing a great dinner."

Yet another boy said, "Yeah, you're right. A magnificent one at that."

Mitsuki continued, "She did play a part making the good times, but those were horribly changing, so it seems to be of no importance to her. I tried to invite her to dine with us, and yet she declined. Well, as I said, I do pity her. So . . . . . . "

She sighed, adding, "Merry Christmas to the little girl who claims to possess the Mjolnir . . . . something, Sanae Dekomori."

"Sanae Dekomori!" The rest chanted in unison, making a toast with their glasses of punch.

The entire scene then vanished, turning the living room back to normal.

It became dark, the only light being from the window caused by the moonlight in the night sky.

Sanae looked back at the Ghost. The light in his torch shrunk to a small size, and his hair turned gray.

"Does a spirit like you have a life this short?" Sanae asked.

"Yes, wielder of the Mjolnir Hammer. It's very brief, and it ends tonight."

"Tonight?"

"At midnight, to be exact. The time for the Dark Flame Master to part ways has finally come."

It was 11:59 PM at the grandfather clock near the TV. A few seconds later, it would be about to make a chiming sound.

Suddenly, two pairs of red eyes glowed in the darkness, their feet exposed to the moonlight.

"Forgive me, but uh, while I'm not seeing something in your skirt, I'm seeing something right behind you," Sanae said.

"It is something else. Look beside me."

The two creatures with glowing red eyes showed up in the moonlight, revealing themselves to be two dragons, one in black and the other in white.

The former had a protrusion on its head, and at the back of it is a thunderbolt-like crest with a light-blue tip. Above its padded shoulders are its web-like wings. Both of its arms extended to what looks like a baseball mitt, with its claws on both undersides. Its body is obviously colored black, and so are its waist, knees and claws. Finally, its tail resembled an electric generator.

The latter, on the other hand, had a head that looks canine. Its mane streamed outward from its head, which had protrusions resembling ears. Its neck is slender, having two neckbands, and a protrusion jutting out from the upper neckband. Its arms resemble wings for flying, but both have four claws that look like hands. Protrusions jut out of its thighs. Its body is colored white also obviously, along with its high-heeled feet and the rest of the body. Lastly, its tail resembled that of a jet engine that has a ribbon-like extension jutting out of it.

"Look at them."

"Are you daft, punk?" said the black dragon.

Stunned by their appearance and the look of their faces, Sanae turned away.

"Look at them," the Ghost said.

Sanae became reluctant. She thought, "Those dragons must be from another world!"

"I said look at the dragons you see beside me!" the Ghost shouted.

Sanae was forced to glance at the two dragons beside the Ghost.

"Run away!" the white dragon ranted out.

"Tell me, are those dragons yours?" Sanae asked the Ghost, whimpering.

The latter replied, "Those are mankind's. The white dragon there on my right was once the dragon of truth, now defamed to be the dragon that represents ignorance. The dragon on my left was once the dragon of ideals, now defamed to represent want. Beware of them."

The grandfather clock struck at twelve midnight, making a chiming sound. The Ghost, taking on the appearance of the Dark Flame Master, but in a green robe instead of his signature outfit, felt as if he suffered a heart attack. Purple flames were accumulating over him as he succumbed to the ground, making his last cackle. The flames on his torch vanished into a thin wisp.

"Is there no refuge? No resource?" Sanae asked.

"Are there any administration bureaus?" the white dragon said, whipping a fiery hot gale that she desperately struggled to avoid.

"Are there any parallel worlds?" the black dragon ranted, nearly crisscrossing Sanae with its electrified claws.

Sanae realized that the prophecy Matthew's ghost gave to her was going to be right all along. While the Ghost of Christmas Present vanished in thin air along with the two dragons beside him, Sanae was all alone in the living room, staring at her shadow cast by the moonlight outside the roof window.

"I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away. . . . . . " Sanae softly mumbled to herself. She was starting to feel the chills again as a certain specter made its stealthy arrival.

Chapter notes:

* Dragon Ball Z - The "over 9000!" meme is reenacted when the Ghost of Christmas Present mentions the number of his elder brothers.

* Death Note - "Just as planned."

* The guessing game between Mitsuki and Sanae's friends in school name drops Digimon and Pokemon.

* The two dragons that resemble Ignorance and Want are highly implied to resemble the Pokemon Reshiram and Zekrom, respectively.

* "Are you daft, punk?" This refers to Daft Punk of course, but it can also refer to the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Abridged comment special where the said line was spoken.

* The last line of the chapter is one of the lines that Shinji Ikari says in the first episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion.