Chapter 24: Christmas

"Night has arrived." Scrooge thought as he's seen looking out the window of his room while downstairs, everyone is getting ready.

Huey and Beakly are working on the Christmas tree. They managed to put on most of the decorations and ornaments on the magnificent tree and all they have to do is put the star ornament on top of it. "You do it." Beakly handed Huey the ornament as, "How am I gonna reach it-" He then felt Beakly pick him up and having him stand on her hand unexpectedly as she raised her arm higher. "Okay, I'm near and all I need to do is to toss it like a shuriken!" Huey took aim pretending to shoot it onto the spot like a shuriken. 5 seconds later, open fire. Both watched as...(it goes like slow motion while they watch)

...

...

...

"Right on the spot I see." Out of nowhere, Duckworth materialized in. "Where have you been?" Beakly asked. "Cleaning the chimney." He replied. "I imagine Santa Claus spitting out diamonds and serving out fresh coal to the naughty kids." said Huey as he received confused stares from Beakly and Duckworth.

In the kitchen, "More chocolate chip gingerbread duck cookies coming right up!" Dewey called out as Webby just took out a batch of freshly-made- "Yeah, I mentioned it." Dewey just finished laying out another batch on some cookie tray and threw it to Webby like a Frisbee. She caught it, spun around sliding the tray into the oven. "How much have we baked so far?" Dewey asked. "Only one batch because we spent 2 hours trying to perfect the gingerbread duck cookie which resulted in several badly shaped cookies. Edible on the inside but horrible on the outside in other words, the appearance is hideous." Webby explained. "I dunno how many batches we are baking but if there's extra-"

"MORE COOKIES FOR US!" They cheered hugging each other with their cheeks pressed onto each other also.

And finally, "Almost there..." Louie is doing something which is a bit suspicious from one's perspective. He's standing on some ladder support and Launchpad is supporting it for him. "Duct tape."

"Duct tape coming right up!" Launchpad handed it to him as he can be seen taping some metal stand glued to the wall and the stand is supporting-"Is that a security camera?"

"GAH!" Louie fell off the ladder and Launchpad caught him in time. "Duckworth, try not to pop right in front of my face next time please?" Louie pleaded. "Oh sorry. I have nothing to do right no except phase in and out. I wonder, where's your mother?"

"Out with Uncle Donald. They'll be home late for sure." Louie replied.

"How can you be so sure?" Duckworth asked.

"Heard them making plans. Big plans that I'm needed to pick them up that late." Launchpad replied as Louie touched up everything and got down while Launchpad went to keep the ladder. "I wonder why the boy would set up a security camera that can reveal the scene of the entire living room?" Duckworth wondered as he phased away.

Later on...

Scrooge went down to the first level to see the kids examining the gifts. "Bless me bagpipes." He thought with a smile when the doorbell rang. Duckworth materialized and opened it. "Hey guys!"

"Violet? Lena?" Dewey was surprised for a moment. Then, he turned to Webby. "Christmas sleepover?"

"YEAH!" Webby cheered doing back flips around the room. "We'll be in my room waiting. Plenty of cookies and milk for us to last throughout the whole night!" Webby laughed her way to the room as the others followed suite but first, "Gimme a second." Dewey thought as he went to the kitchen and returned with a plate of 3 cookies and a glass of milk. As he set them by the fireplace, "My calculations tell me 3 is not enough."

"You're right Violet. Be right back." Dewey soon added 2 cookies and then, "Now c'mon! Don't keep us waiting!" He went ahead as, "Now." Lena nodded at Violet and used her magic to warp in presents. Once done, they placed them on the growing pile and joined their friends. Scrooge watched as they passed by. "Ah...things had changed. Even mahself back then."

Everyone knows Scrooge used to hate Christmas but some time travel with ghosts changed his thoughts and reflections filled his mind. Even so, he was even aware that his niece and nephew will be home late but still, "Launchpad can handle this." He went straight to his room but right after he had some cookies and milk too because...no one's too old to enjoy a midnight snack. (Oh...LOLOLOLOLOL!)

Inside his room, Scrooge just simply looked at the night sky as he can also hear the kids laugh and play in the room. "Tomorrow...on tha mornin...it begins." He was too tired to think on so easy said than done, lights out.

The next day...

Scrooge lay on his bed still asleep deeply. He wanted to sleep some more because the day has arrived and on that day, no work. But that didn't last long because screaming can be heard as, "What...in...tha...blazes?!" He woke up, put on his robe and went down only to see a lovely sight.

Around the Christmas tree, our 6 best friends are opening their gifts with laughter and joy. Lena opened her gift. "Sweet." It was a black, leather wallet. "About time I can store some green inside." The triplets opened a gift and, "Another sweater?" Louie complained at first. "Wait, those were from mom!" Nearby, Donald and Della are watching all this along with Beakly, Launchpad and Duckworth. "Every year, you made the boys sweaters." Della chuckled. "Now it's your turn." Donald replied as Webby opened her gift. "Wow! A ninja suit!"

"Cool! I got one too!" Dewey and Webby cheered as they hi-5 each other when Dewey noticed something. "Whoa! The cookies and milk I left by the fireplace are gone!" The kids stopped what they're doing as they gathered to look at the empty plate and glass. "Was he really here?" Louie wondered and then, looked up. "WHAT THE!?" The security camera is gone. "Gee greenie. You need better quality duct tape." Lena commented as she pointed at a small wreckage. "Launchpad. I told you before not to buy this stuff from a foreign pawnshop!" Louie told him. "And if you wanna say because it's cheap, nope. Don't wanna hear the same excuse again."

Oh well, better luck next time on the next season Louie. The kids continued opening their gifts. Huey got some chemistry set, Dewey got a skateboard, Louie got a tablet (The iPad type), Webby got a katana, Lena got some fashionable dress and Violet got a comic book.

"All tha gifts are from each other and from us." Scrooge thought with a smile as already, Donald opened his gift which is from his sister and got a fishing rod while Della opened her gift which is from her brother and got boxing gloves. Beakly got an espresso machine as a gift from Launchpad and he got a toolbox from her.

"In mah life, I used to be somethin...somethin that once clouded my thoughts, beliefs and judgements. But now...I can't help it. Seein tha joy and happiness and hearin tha laughta. I guess I was moved and...convinced..." Scrooge then sat down on a sofa as it unexpectedly happened.

"Uncle Scrooge! Uncle Scrooge!" He looked to see everyone gathering to him as Donald and Della gave him a present. "All of us as a family pitched in to give you the best Christmas gift ever!" Della stated as Scrooge unwrapped it and opened it and what he saw inside the box filled his eyes with tears and kindled his heart.

A golden statue of himself.

And right on schedule. Yeah! Merry Christmas everyone! And I mean those in this website and outside. All that's left is New Year and once 2020 begins...well, you'll see. Woo-hoo!