Gema: Chapter three! Yippee! And someone made chocolate coated candy canes! I am not sugar high, though!

Seto: Now who are you going to torture?

Gema: That will spoil it..... You of course!

Seto: Great....

Shayla: That is one less nightmare I have to deal with. I am joining Drake and Lara and hiding from you!

Joe: I think Isis and Marik were lucky, being dead already!

Gema: This is your big scene, Mr. Family Man!

Joe: *gulps* Help!

Seto: Complete with wife and kids......

Gema: *Shoves marshmallow down his throat.* No spoilers!

Tea: If that is how she treats her favorite, the rest of us don't stand a chance.

Seto Scrooge woke from a deep sleep and tried to pull his thoughts together. The bell rang one as he awoke, not surprising him one bit. He looked nervously at his bed curtains, wondering what specter may pull them apart this time. Seto was determined not to be taken by surprise, this time.

Five minutes passed, then ten. And yet, nothing came. Scrooge laid on his bed, nervously awaiting the unknown. At last the waiting became too much for him and he pulled the curtains apart, a hair. The room was dark, save for a light coming from under the door of the next room. A voice called his name and he obeyed.

Seto Scrooge cautiously opened the door. He was shocked at what was on the other side. It was his room, no doubt, but it had been transformed. The walls and ceiling were ornamented with holly and garland. There was so much it made the place seem like a forest. Berries glistened in the cheery fire light. The floor was over flowing with every sort of Christmas dish imaginable; turkey, beef, ham, yams, beans, pudding, cake, pies, potatoes, goose, eggs, drinks, sausage, chestnuts, oysters, apples, oranges, breads, pears, candy canes, hot cocoa, eggnog, punch, wine, pop, vegetables, even some dishes from foreign lands. The air was think with their delicious aromas. The next spirit reclined on the couch, surrounded by all of the holiday cheer.

"Come in, come," greeted Tristan the spirit.

(Joe: Hey! Why does Tristan get the job with all of the food!)

(Tristan: *grumbles* I look like a Santa Claus!)

(Seto: I thought you were hiding.)

(Tristan: Gema found me.....)

(Gema: He was hiding under the hot cocoa!)

"Come and know me better, man," greeted Tristan the spirit. Seto Scrooge did enter the room, but his head was hung low. "Look upon me, I am the Ghost of Christmas Present." Seto did, reluctantly.

This spirit wore a green robe, what Santa Claus's would have looked like, had it been green instead of red. He was bare foot. On his head sat a wreath, that was lined with burning candles. An empty scabbard locked around his waist. He had a free, gentle face, sparkling eyes, cheery voice, unconstrained demeanor, and a joyful air. In his left hand he held a torch shaped like a cornucopia.

"You have never seen me before!" said the spirit, neither accusingly or surprised.

"Never," Seto Scrooge admitted.

"Have you never walked with the younger members of my family? For I am the youngest, and yet, you do not know my elder brothers?" asked Present.

"I don't think so," replied Scrooge. "I am afraid not. Have you many brothers?"

"More than eighteen hundred."

"A tremendous family to provide for....." muttered Seto Scrooge. "Take me where you will. I learn a lot the other night. Teach me what you will tonight."

"Touch my robe!" The minute Scrooge did the decorations and feast disappeared. So did the room, fire, and shadowy night. They stood in the streets on Christmas morning. The weather was severe, causing those out to walk fast, but not in a rough way. A light music seemed to fill the air. A few were out shoveling. Others were sledding, getting into snowball fights, or heading home to Christmas feasts. Snow laid beautifully on trees. People greeted their neighbors cheerfully. A few food shops remained open, to help those last minute shoppers. Church bells rang, welcoming people to their services. The morning passed quickly into afternoon. The shops closed and people wandered into their homes. Smoke rose from chimneys as the Christmas meals were cooked. Present occasional stopped to sprinkle gifts or food with something from his torch.

(Joe: Hold on a second! She got rid of all the food! No fair!)

(Gema: There is always more hot cocoa!)

"Why do you do that?" asked Scrooge at last.

"It is the Spirit of Christmas, and it is freely given!" smiled Tristan the spirit.

"But why?"

"It is given kindly, it is a gift. And it is given to the poor most of all."

"Why the poor?"

"Because they need it the most!"

"Spirit," muttered Seto with some thought. "I wonder.....Why would you harm these innocent people for a day's foolishness?"

"What?!" exclaimed Present, clearly shocked.

"You would have the spend for a feast one day, when there is not enough food for a week. You would have them take one day from work, to lose one day's wages. Forgive me if I am wrong, but isn't that what your family stands for?" asked Scrooge.

"There are some on this earth," answered Present. "with hearts much like yours, who claim to know us. They do things in my family's name that is not from us. They are motivated by pride, ill will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness. These people are strangers to us, and to the real meaning of Christmas. Remember that!"

"I will," agreed Scrooge.

"Come!" smiled Tristan. He lead Scrooge to a small church. They entered. It took Scrooge a minute to place it, but he gasped when he did. It was the same church Past had taken him to, Shayla Belle's church! A service was being held. One voice rang through.

"....And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over there flocks by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that shall be to all people. Today in the town of David a Savior had been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign unto you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'" (Luke 2:8-14 NIV) Shayla Belle continued to recite the passage as the vision faded.

(Shayla: It is about time someone put that in there!)

(Joe: I don't know. It seems like something out of Charlie Brown ©!)

"A true heart for Christmas, that one," smiled Tristan.

"She is still here....." muttered Seto.

"Come, there is much more to see!" urged Present. They stopped outside of a small house. "Does this place look familiar to you?"

"No," admitted Seto.

"You do not even recognize the home of your clerk, Joe Cratchit?" asked Present. Seto looked down bashfully.

Inside Mrs. Mai Cratchit sat down in a simple white gown. She was braiding the hair of her youngest daughter, Belinda. Her oldest son, Duke, was watching a pot of potatoes, to make sure they did not boil over. Duke's clothing was to big for him, being his father's before.

(Mai: I CANNOT believe this!)

(Joe: I am not married to Mai!)

(Duke Deblin: I am not the son of that puppy! How dare you?!)

(Tea: But I bet Joe wishes Mai was his wife. *snickers.*)

(Lara: Mai, you can borrow my mistletoe. *snickers.*)

(Duke: I have three episodes in the series. How is that reason for you putting me in this thing?!)

(Joe: This has gone too far! Alpha!)

"The goose smells so lovely, mother," smiled Belinda.

"Martha is coming!" exclaimed Peter as he looked out the window. The oldest daughter entered.

"That is great!" smiled Mai Cratchit. "Now, where is your father and Tiny Yu-Gi?"

(Yu-Gi: That was low! I mean, completely unfair!)

(Gema: Don't deny the truth. You have the perfect height for the part!)

(Joe and Mai: We are not Yu-Gi's parents!)

(Duke: I am not his brother!)

(Yu-Gi: Mokuba would be better for Tiny Tim.)

(Mokuba: It is your turn now! She gave me a wife! I cannot believe...... *has a marshmallow shoved in his mouth for almost giving away something.*

(Gema: Quit complaining! This story is awesome, although it isn't as awesome as this hot cocoa!)

"I am here," smiled Martha as she entered.

"That you are," said Mai Cratchit as she kissed her eldest daughter. "Sit by the fire and get warm."

"No, wait!" exclaimed Belinda. "Father is coming! Hide, Martha!" Martha did. She was out of sight just as Joe Cratchit entered with Tiny Yu-Gi. Joe was carrying Yu-Gi because his legs had been malformed and were supported by iron braces.

(Yu-Gi: Great! This keeps getting better and better!)

(Marik: At least you weren't killed before the story even began.)

"Where is Martha?" asked Joe Cratchit as he looked around.

"Not coming," answered Mai Cratchit.

"Not coming!" cried Joe. "Not coming on Christmas day!" Martha did not like seeing her father so disappointed, so she came out of her hiding spot prematurely.

"Here I am!" she smiled.

"Martha!" cried Yu-Gi as he embraced his older sister.

"Martha!" exclaimed Joe as he kissed her. Then he went to each of his children and kissed them to. The last one he visited was his wife. He lingered on that kiss, a little.

(Joe and Mai: YUCK!)

(Mai: This has gone far enough! That was wrong!)

(Joe: *gag* I need mouthwash!)

(Mai: Someone stop her!)

(Seto: Looks like I get a break....)

"How was Tiny Yu-Gi?" asked Mai Cratchit.

"As good as gold," Joe Cratchit smiled back. "and better. Sometimes he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much. He thinks the strangest things you ever did hear. He told me, coming home, that he hoped everyone saw him because he was a cripple. He wanted them to remember, that on Christmas Day, Christ made the lame walk and the blind see." Joe seemed a little sad when he finished talking.

(Shayla and Yu-Gi: Huff!)

Tiny Yu-Gi was playing with Belinda on the floor. Joe put a hot cider mixture on the stove. Mai checked on the goose and Duke continued to watch the potatoes. Martha volunteered and set the table. Mai announced that the goose was done. There was such excitement at this announcement that one would have thought that the goose was the rarest of all birds. The bird was set in the middle of the table. The gravy was brought over. Duke began to vigorously mash the potatoes. The table was quickly set and they all sat down to their Christmas feast. The meal, though meager, filled the entire family. There was even some applesauce left over.

Mai Cratchit brought out her special pudding. The children smiled and managed to fill themselves even more. When they were all done Joe Cratchit gathered them by the fireplace and passed out the cider he had made.

"A Merry Christmas, family," he said with a smile. "And may God bless us!"

"Merry Christmas!" the family echoes, beaming smiles. Tiny Yu-Gi took his father's hand. They looked at each other and smiled, but there was sadness in Joe's eyes.

"Spirit," asked Scrooge. "tell me if Tiny Yu-Gi will live."

"I see a vacant seat," replied Present "in the poor chimney corner, a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die."

(Yu-Gi: What?!)

(Duke: You can't kill him before I get a re-match!)

(Joe: You can't kill Yu-Gi, he is the main character!)

(Mai: Tell Isis and Marik that I said 'hi.')

(Yu-Gi: Not funny!)

(Gema: I have hot cocoa and I don't care! I have a cookie and I don't care! I have a candy cane and I don't care!)

"No!" cried Seto Scrooge. "Tell me that he will be spared!"

"If these shadows remain unaltered, none of my kin will find him here," said Tristan the spirit. "Then what? If he is going to die, he'd better do it quickly and decrease the surplus population." Seto was horrified to have his words repeated back to him in such a harsh manner. He hung his head in remorse.

"If you have a true heart," said Tristan the spirit, "you would not say things like that. It is easy to reject the down-trodden, until you know who they are. Will you decide who shall live, and who shall die? It the eyes of Heaven maybe this poor child is more worthy to live than you!" Seto scrooge hung his head in shame.

"Mr. Scrooge!" said Joe Cratchit, catching his ear. Joe held up his cup. "I'll give you Mr. Scrooge, the founder of the feast!"

"The founder of the feast indeed!" snapped Mai Cratchit. "I wish he was here! I'd give him apiece of my mind to feast on, and I hope he has an appetite for it!"

"My love," pleaded Joe. "Think of the children, it is Christmas!"

(Joe: Mai, my love?! *gag.*)

"Yes it is," agreed Mai. "It would have to be Christmas for one to drink to the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, poorly-dressed, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge. Don't say he isn't, Joe, for you know he is! No body can know that better than you."

"My dear," smiled Joe. "it's Christmas."

"I'll drink to his health for you sake, and for Christmas," replied Mai Cratchit. "But certainly not for his sake! Long life to him! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! He'll be very merry and happy, I have no doubt!" She drank her cider and the kids followed suit. Tiny Yu-Gi was the last to finish. There was no denying it. Seto Scrooge was the ogre of the family. His very name cast a dark shadow onto them.

(Seto: So I am an ogre now?!)

(Gema: Metaphorically speaking. And don't look at me that way! Those are Dickens's exact words!)

(Tristan: Is this scene over yet?)

(Mai: Can you just kill of my character? I think I'd have more fun with Isis and Marik in the graveyard.)

(Gema: You all need hot cocoa!)

(Joe: Yeah right, that stuff is drugged!)

(Seto: *mutters* Where is Alpha? How hard can it be to find POF?)

The Cratchit family broke into song as Present pulled Seto away from the scene.

"Where are we going now?" asked Seto.

"Many places!" smiled Tristan the spirit. This was true. Present took Scrooge to see many celebrations of Christmas. Families greet relatives. Feast upon feast was prepared. The rich and the poor all celebrated the wonderful time of year. Laughter rang in the streets. From penthouse to poor house to boat to country to city everyone celebrated the blessed time of Christ's birth. Of all of these journeys I will not tell, for that would take too long. But there was one more stop that was of interest.

"Ha, ha ha ha ha ha!" a very pleasant laugh caught Seto's ears. It was the laugh of his nephew, Mokuba.

(Mokuba: Gema, you are going to suffer for this!)

(Gema: This is your scene, Romeo. *snickers while holding her hot cocoa.*)

"He actually said the Christmas was a humbug," laughed Mokuba. He was surrounded by his family; his wife and daughters, their boyfriends, his wife's sisters and their families. "he believed it, too!"

"More pity to him," agreed Rebecca, Mokuba's wife and Scrooge's niece.

(Rebecca: WHAT!!!!!!?????)

(Yu-Gi: You mean Rebecca Hawkins?!)

(Gema: Yep! *laughs evilly.*)

(Mokuba: Now do you see why I want to hurt her?!)

(Joe: I can't believe Rebecca even brought her teddy bear!)

(Rebecca: That was not funny! None of this is! I don't want to be married to Mokuba!)

(Gema: But think about it; you and Mokuba, Lara and Drake, as well as Mai and Joe can all go on couples retreats now!)

(Seto: Tackle her!)

(Gema: I control the keyboard, you can't hurt me!)

(Tristan: We need back up!)

"Is that my nephew's wife?" asked Seto Scrooge.

"You never met her?" asked Present.

"No," muttered Seto. Mokuba's wife was cute. She had a dimpled, capital face with ruby red lips that looked like they had just been kissed. When she laughed her eyes were as bright as a summer's day. A toy bear sat in her lap, adding to the innocence of her looks.

(Rebecca: What was that?! Kissing?!)

(Mokuba: Yuck!)

(Lara: *snickers* I still have mistletoe. Where is Drake? I want to see if this plant works.)

"He is a funny fellow," Mokuba continued to chuckle. "But, in truth, his own actions and choice are their own punishment. I have nothing to say against him."

"I am sure he is very rich," said Rebecca. "At least, from what you told me, he has money to burn."

"What good does it do him?" asked Mokuba. "His wealth is of no use to him. He doesn't do any good with it. He doesn't make himself comfortable with it. He doesn't even have the satisfaction of thinking that he is going to benefit from it!"

(Mokuba: I don't even get half of what you are having me say?!)

(Gema: Here is a candy cane, be happy.)

"Well, I have no patience for him," retorted one of the ladies present.

"Oh, but I do," smiled Mokuba. "I am sorry for him: I could not be angry with him if I tried. Who suffers by his rotten attitude? Himself, always. He got it in his head that he doesn't like us, and won't come to dinner. What is the consequence? He misses a great meal, that is what!"

"Indeed, it was a great meal!" chimed Rebecca. "What do you think, sister?" She turned to another one of the ladies who floundered for an answer before turning red and trailing off.

"I was going to say," continued Mokuba, "that the consequence of disliking us, and not being happy with us is only losing pleasant moments. And those do no harm. I am sure he has lots of fun in that office of his, or even in that dark, dingy hole he calls a house. I mean to give him the same chance every year, whether he likes it or not, for I pity him. He may complain about Christmas until he dies, but he can't help thinking better of it. I defy him! Every year he sees me merry and his veins bulge a little more. I shook him yesterday!" Mokuba burst into laughter at this moment. The entire room joined him. Soon the house was ringing with laughter.

After their tea and dessert several people rose to their instruments. There was a fiddle and a fife. And Rebecca played the harp beautifully. The family sang carols for an hour, until hey were too tired to sing any more.

(Rebecca: Since when do I play a harp?)

(Shayla: Since I started to sing solos.)

After music came games. They played twenty questions. One person thought of something. Everyone else had twenty questions to ask to figure out what the first person was thinking of. Everyone present played, whether old or young. Seto Scrooge found himself playing along. His voice was not even a whisper to the people. Scrooge was a sharp one. He would often have the answer before everyone else. But then Mokuba came up with one that stumped everyone.

It was an animal, a live animal, a rather disagreeable animal, a savage animal, an animal that grunted and growled sometimes, and talked sometimes, it lived in London, and walked about the streets, and wasn't made a show of, and wasn't led by anybody, and didn't live in the menagerie, was never killed in market, and was not a horse, donkey, cow, bull, tiger, a dog, a pig, or a bear. With every question Mokuba burst into a fresh roar of laughter.

"I know!" cried Rebecca. "I know what it is!"

"Then what is it?" asked Mokuba.

"Yes, what," encourage Seto, even though he was not heard.

"It is your Uncle Scrooge!"

"You are right! Completely right!" laughed Mokuba. "He has given us plenty of merriment, I am sure. It would be ungrateful not to drink to his health. Here is a glass, let us give him a toast! To Uncle Scrooge!"

"To Uncle Scrooge!" agreed his family and the games continued as Present pulled Seto away from the scene.

Present showed him many more families and many more celebrations. Some parties went long into the night. In fact, it was midnight when the spirit came to a stop. Present's hair had turned grey and he had taken on other signs of old age.

(Tristan: She turned me into a geezer!?)

(Rebecca: Welcome to our nightmare.)

(Seto: Will someone just get rid of her hot cocoa!)

(Gema: *from a distance* That is a great idea! Why did I not think of it earlier!? *laughs evilly.*)

(Tristan: Guys, that is our cue to run!)

"Are spirit's lives short?" asked Scrooge when he saw the condition of Present.

"My life upon the globe is very brief," replied Present. "It ends tonight."

"Tonight!"

"Tonight, at midnight. The time is drawing near." The church bell began to toll. The spirit began to fade.

"Where are you going? Don't leave me!" pleaded Scrooge.

"I will not, not as long as you keep Christmas in your heart," replied Tristan. The bell had chimed eight more times.

"But, where shall I go?" asked Seto. Present merely smiled and faded as the last bell struck.

(Tristan: She killed me?! I am one of the ghost of Christmas and she killed me!?)

(Isis: Party in the graveyard, bring a friend.)

(Tea: That is not funny!)

(Seto: Now what? I don't think it can get any worse than this!)

(Gema: That is what you think! *Laughs evilly.*)

Seto Scrooge looked around him for Present, but he was not to be found. The final vibrations faded and Scrooge remembered the predictions of Marik Marley. A think fog laced the ground. Seto lifted up his eyes and beheld a solemn phantom, draped and hooded, coming, like a mist along the ground, toward him.

Gema: Yay! Only two more chapters. That means about five more cups of cocoa!

Seto: No more cocoa for you!

Joe: I still think she was in the eggnog.

Gema: NOT EGGNOG! Cocoa!

Mokuba: That last chapter was cruel and unusual punishment!

Yu-Gi: That was uncalled for!

Gema: I have the keyboard! And I have cocoa! I like cocoa! I like sugar! I have cookies! Complain all you want, but I am finishing this thing!

All: Alpha! POF! Help!

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