A/N: Alright, so I had this idea first thing last night and I hope you guys like my take on a Christmas Carol. Please review and please don't flame. Thanks in advance.

Disclaimer: I do not own A Christmas Carol, or Sing, or any of the characters or songs referenced here. The great Charles Dickens owns A Christmas Carol, Illumination owns Sing and the characters, and the songs all belong to their respective artists and writers.

...

"Merry Christmas, everyone!"

Mike scoffed as he heard Miss Crawly, the elderly lizard that worked for the theater owner, wishing everyone a happy holiday as she shuffled about, handing each of the theater troupe members a mug of hot chocolate and a doughnut or other type of baked good as well.

"Cheers, Miss Crawly," came a soft, British-accented voice.

Mike rolled his eyes as Johnny the gorilla thankfully took a cup of the steaming beverage from the old lizard's hands, giving her a bright smile as he offered to help her pass out the remaining treats.

"Just let the wrinkly old hag pass 'em out herself," the indignant mouse sneered. "That's what she gets paid for, isn't it?"

Johnny frowned.

"I was just bein' nice, Mike," he replied coolly. "Ya might try it sometime."

"Ha! Nobody just does anything just to be nice!" Mike retorted. "Even this Christmas party Moon's throwing is just a way for him to make up for almost getting us all killed before!"

"Oh, you mean because you pissed off those bears and they came in here to get the money you claimed belonged to you," came the biting voice of the porcupine Ash.

Mike turned to glare at the teenage porcupine who stared daggers back, one hand firmly on her hip, the other holding a cup of coffee that he was almost certain she wanted to pour over him.

"I wasn't the one who lied to everyone about the prize money," Mike shrugged. "Moon's just lucky you're all saps that forgave him."

"That didn't stop you from crawling back here," came a new voice.

Mike didn't have to turn around to know the newcomer was none other than Rosita, the female pig who, in his mind, had way too little talent and way too many kids.

"Ah, whatever," the mean-natured mouse waved a hand dismissively before heading for the door. "I got work to do before my date tonight. I don't have time to waste hangin' around you losers."

He could hear a few choice remarks from Ash as he exited the theater.

...

As Mike made his way to the fountain that served as a typical spot for his busking in the streets, he was angered to find that there was a trio of children standing just in front of the fountain, which was all strung up with red and green and gold Christmas lights, adding a more festive feel to the area. The trio, a racoon, a small ferret, and a mouse even smaller than Mike, all stood side by side, singing Christmas carols, the one they were doing now sounded like Carol of the Bells.

The diminutive mouse glared as a group of passersby tossed a handful of bills into a hat on the ground in front of the mammalian trio. How dare these little twerps steal what should have been his earnings!

"Alright, alright!" he snarled, scooping up bits of snow and hurling it at the singing children. "Get outta here! All of you, move it! This is my turf!"

"We're just singing," the little mouse uttered meekly, her eyes wide with fear as Mike advanced on her.

"Is that what that was?" Mike let out a derisive laugh. "I thought a cat got knocked into the fountain! At least that's what it sounded like. Puh-lease, the people wanna hear real music from a real musician. Like me. Not from a couple of snot-nosed brats like you. Why don't you go raid a cookie plate or go get in line to see Santa or somethin'? Leave this to the professionals."

"But, mister, we-"

"I said scram!" Mike began throwing snow at the three again, this time some of the snowballs with a few pebbles he'd scooped up, until they all took off, the racoon trying his best to shield his smaller friends from the worst of the assault.

"Dang kids," Mike snorted as he turned to pull his saxophone out of its case.

As he looked down at the case, he realized just how old the thing was; the hinges were a bit tarnished and some of the leather casing was coming loose. But it was hardly a surprise when one considered that Mike, who was now in his thirties, had had it since he graduated from the Lincoln School of Music about seven years ago. The saxophone had been a graduation gift from his favorite professor at the school, Professor William Bushtail, a wolf who had been talented with a violin. Old Bushtail had more than once stated Mike was the only pupil he had that not only showed great talent in his music, but also possessed the necessary attitude to survive in the music industry.

"It's a cutthroat world, the music industry," he'd say. "And the only way to survive it is to be tougher and better than anyone else. If you have to take a shortcut, take it. Fast success is the best success."

Mike had taken these words to heart. Of course, aside from being something of a local celebrity following the televised outdoor show last summer, he hadn't really had much success. But then, the music labels and such that had turned him down were just looking for these so-called 'up and coming' artists like that moody teen Ash or that wannabe piano player Johnny. Animals that would only play for a while and then just fall out of it after their little teenage minds got bored.

That elephant girl Meena had talent, somewhat, but Mike didn't think she would make it in music. She had a good voice, but she also had too good a heart. She'd never survive the dog-eat-dog world of music and performing.

Whatever. Stupid kids had taken up enough of his time.

Mike pulled the sax out of the case and began playing a jazzy rendition of All I Want for Christmas is You.

Nancy, his girlfriend, had said it was one of her favorites and Mike knew it was immensely popular, so what better way to earn some fast cash out here before it got too cold.

Animals were passing by left and right, some loaded down with presents. Mike had to fight back a laugh as he pictured that Rosita waddling as fast as her pudgy porky legs would let her as she tried to get presents for her twenty-five kids.

...

"Well, I'll see you lot tomorrow," Johnny said, pulling on his leather jacket, along with a set of soft red gloves and a hat.

"You're leaving already?" Meena looked disappointed. "But we were just about to rehearse for the Christmas concert tomorrow night."

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Johnny shrugged, genuinely seeming so. "It's just visitin' hours are only going til six tonight and I really wanna see my dad."

"Oh, don't worry, Johnny," Buster came over and gave the gorilla a pat on the wrist, the highest he could reach given their height differences. "You can just come in a bit earlier tomorrow for your practice with Miss Crawly."

"I'll be here first thing tomorrow morning," Miss Crawly chimed in, giving her primate protoge a reassuring smile.

Johnny's entire face lit up as he shook Buster's hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Moon," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "I promise I'll be in first thing. G'night, everyone!"

Meena heard Buster sigh heavily as Johnny hurried out to the parking area to his black pick-up and within minutes, the engine was heard roaring down the street before turning a corner and disappearing.

"That was really sweet of you to let him go, Mr. Moon," Meena gave the koala a glowing smile.

"I know what it feels like to be close to your dad," Buster replied. "I miss mine a lot this time of the year. You know, Christmas was the only day he'd wash cars half a day. Just so he could spend that time with me. And even then, even when I was so little I knew he was only working his tail off like that so I could buy this place."

"It's just too bad Johnny's the one working his tail off while his dad's in...there," Meena's ears drooped slightly, as did Buster's.

The truth hadn't taken long to come out after the media coverage of the show, along with Johnny's dad's breakout a few months ago. While no one in the theater, besides Mike of course, had let it color their feelings toward Johnny, it couldn't be said they didn't feel sympathy for the young gorilla. They all had families to go to at the end of the day. Even though Ash lived alone after kicking out her ex-boyfriend, maintained a long-distance relationship with her parents who didn't live in the city. Johnny on the other hand, only got to write letters to his two uncles, and have short visitations with his father.

Meena couldn't imagine what it was like, for Johnny to be so excited to see his father, only to have a mere ten minutes of visiting time, with a sheet of glass separating him from his dad and only a phone to actually talk to him.

Johnny had confided in her and Ash that he was trying to save up enough to at least try to get his dad, and maybe if there was enough, his uncles out. He'd originally thought of using the fabled prize money, but as that was no longer an option, he'd instead taken to picking up little odd jobs here and there when he wasn't at the theater. He even worked out of the garage his dad had used as a hideout and a living space to work on cars for a little extra on the side.

Meena knew it would still take more than what the teenage gorilla was making to get one of his family members out, let alone three. Especially with his father breaking out.

The young elephant felt her heart break for her friend once more as she recalled how Johnny had come back from the prison one afternoon, looking utterly crushed.

It hadn't mattered that his father had only broken out to see him and then immediately turned himself in. His sentence had been extended and on top of that, he had been placed in solitary confinement and his visiting privileges had been revoked for two weeks.

If a family of gorillas was anywhere near as tight-knit as Meena knew elephant families like hers were, that would have been pure torture for father and son alike.

And it had been, Johnny had barely spoken for days. Rosita and Meena herself had both invited him over to their homes for dinner, but the young gorilla had refused, saying he didn't want to impose.

"Poor Johnny," she muttered before she could stop herself.

Buster sighed again and nodded.

"Poor Johnny indeed."

...

"Are you kiddin' me?! This can't be all you got!"

Mike was glaring down at a weasel, who fidgeted nerviously as he tried to diffuse what was quickly becoming a heated conversation.

"You just said that was the best rendition of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas you ever heard! You even requested it!" Mike was fuming now. "And all you give me is a measly five bucks! What'd you blow all your money on those presents!"

The weasel, arms loaded down with several packages, tried to turn to hurry away, but Mike launched himself at the stack and the boxes came tumbling down like a tower of building blocks.

"What are you doing?" the weasel cried as Mike began rummaging through his coat pockets.

At last he found what he was looking for; a crisp fifty dollar bill.

"Now that's more like it," the mouse musician waved the bill victoriously before tucking it into the case, that already had a number of singles, fives, tens, and even a couple of twenties in it and leaving the weasel lying in the snow, boxes scattered around him.

Mike was sure he had enough to get Nancy a decent present now.

"Well, you have yourself a Merry little Christmas, bud!" he snickered, poking the weasel's snout, closing his case, and hurrying off to his car. If he was quick enough, he might just make it to the jewelry store in time.

"There he is!"

Mike's blood ran cold and he booked it even faster when he heard the familiar accented voice of one of the bears who'd been chasing him since last summer.

"Get him!" came a second voice. "You get back here!"

He had just about made it to his car when a clawed hand reached out and grabbed him and he was turned to face the leader of the bear gang.

"How many times do you think you're going to be able to get away?" the leader snarled, his foul breath filling Mike's air passages, causing him to cough.

"Hey, fellas," Mike gasped, eyes watering. "I'm sure we can work this out. How about, uh how about I uh...play a couple songs for you? I'll bet a couple of big guys like you have some ladies. Nothing gets 'em like music, know what I mean?"

The bear leader opened his mouth and prepared to swallow the tiny mouse whole.

"Nononononono! Wait, please!" Mike begged, his hands desperately clinging to the bear's furry knuckles. I know where you can get some of your money!"

The bear leader turned to his two friends and the three exchanged scornful smirks.

"Does Moon 'have the money' again?" the one with the beanie asked mockingly.

"No, no. Uh...there's the uh...this gorilla kid! Yeah, he lives in this garage down on 108 Cedar Blvd!" Mike stammered. "He's got cash stashed away there. A lot of it. I dunno how much, but I know he's been working a lot the last few months for something."

"I don't know about this, Boss," the other bear said uncertainly. "A gorilla?"

"He's not that big," Mike insisted before chuckling nervously. "I mean I know that's not saying much coming from me, but he's pretty small compared to other gorillas. Trust me, uh...he's just a teenager. M-Mario's way bigger than he is. The three of you can take him no problem."

The bears seemed to ponder this for a moment before the leader tossed Mike to the ground.

"You'd better be right about this," he warned, glowering down at Mike as the latter pulled his face from the snowy ground. "Otherwise, we will find you. And then you'll be very sorry."

Mike nodded shakily.

"Happy hunting, fellas!" he called out before hurrying to his car.

As he started the engine, it occured to him that he had just sent three nasty bears on an unsuspecting Johnny.

Johnny was a good-sized kid, but nothing compared to those three. And Mike knew the kid was as soft as they came, well almost since the softest would have to be Meena.

"Eh, what does it matter?" he quickly shrugged off the feeling of dread. "If a sap or two gets hurt, it's their problem, isn't it?"

...

Mike grinned down at the glitzy diamond necklace before tucking it away into its black velvet case. He just knew Nancy would love it. She could wear it when they went out clubbing and everyone would know she was his girl.

He quickly put the bauble in his pocket before ringing the doorbell.

"Just a sec!" a voice called from somewhere inside.

Mike straightened his hat, dusted his coat off and smoothed his fur as the door opened to reveal a lovely female mouse clad in a glittery red dress with a chunky black belt and a pair of fluffy white boots.

"Hi, babe," she greeted, kissing his cheek as he walked in.

"Evenin', hon," Mike wrapped an arm around her. "So what's the plan for tonight? Hitting the club?"

"Actually," Nancy's face flushed a slight pink under her snowy white fur. "I was thinking we could stay in tonight and just have a little romantic time. You know, just the two of us."

As she said this, she cut a piece of a cake filled with fruit and toasted nuts, put it on a plate and set it on the coffee table in front of Mike's chair along with a mug of hot coffee.

"Aww, I was hoping to show you off a little," Mike gave a playful pout as he took a bite of the fruitcake. "I even got you something special on the way over."

Nancy's ears perked up slightly.

"What is it?" she asked.

Mike gave her a wide smile before reaching into his pocket and producing the little velvet case.

Nancy's paws flew to her heart and her eyes and mouth opened wide.

"Oh, Mikey!" she gasped, eyes welling with what looked like tears.

"Babe, it's Mike," Mike corrected her. "It was Mikey when I was five years old."

Nancy frowned for a moment, but her smile quickly returned.

Until the box opened.

"Oh...a...a necklace!" she forced herself to sound cheerful. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Mikey-I mean Mike. You didn't have to go to so much trouble just for me."

"Whaddya mean?" Mike felt his heart drop. "You mean it's not good enough? I stood out in the cold for two hours playing music and I almost got jumped by those bears again. All so you can tell me I didn't have to? Are you serious?"

"I didn't ask you to do that," Nancy looked hurt. "I would have been happy just being here with you, just spending time with you. I mean you're supposed to spend Christmas with the ones you love, right?"

"Oh, not you too!" Mike griped, throwing his hands in the air. "Why does everybody turn into a bunch of saps around the holiday? It's not like it's any different from any other time of the year, is it? Look, I gotta go if you're gonna be like this. Gimme a call when you wanna act normal again."

Nancy flushed with anger before throwing the necklace, box and all at Mike.

"Here!" she screamed. "Take this with you! Go get your money back, you love it more anyway!"

"Fine, I will!" Mike snapped in a voice just as loud. "And you better not have damaged it!"

As he stormed out of the apartment and down to his car, he examined the necklace his ungrateful girlfriend had thrown. It didn't look damaged from what he could see, but the jeweler would probably find something wrong with it, just so they didn't have to take it back.

"Ah well, I can always pawn it or something," Mike assured himself before sticking it in the glove compartment and locking it.

...

Johnny groaned as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head.

He could feel a sharp pain in the back of his head and he knew his lower lip was bleeding. He could feel a warm liquid, likely more blood, dripping down his left cheek and the spot under his right eye felt sore.

But thankfully, he appeared to be alone now.

As he looked around, he could see that the assailants were gone. Maybe they had decided killing him wasn't worth it. Assault and attenpted robbery were one thing, but murder would have been way harder to run from.

Johnny was thankful that he was still alive, but then a fresh wave of dread washed over him and his heart sank.

What if...

No...

The teenage gorilla raced into the back room to find that several drawers had been pulled out of the desk, a few items strewn about, and the box he kept hidden in the side panel of the bottom drawer was now out in the open, with the lid ajar...

No...

As Johnny hurried over and peered inside, he felt his jaw go slack and his chest immediately tightened.

Gone...every last bit of it...gone...

...

As he stomped up the stairs to his apartment, he noticed the usually unremarkable doorknob looked a bit odd. Almost like there was a...face...

The face had a long snout and tufts of bushy fur on the sides and a pair of pointed ears atop the head as a pair of amber eyes stared down at him.

"Mike..." a voice uttered. "Mike..."

A sense of fear sliced through him like a knife as he realized the face looked just like that of Professor Bushtail.

But that was impossible, he was dead as a doornail. Had been for seven years tonight.

As the small mouse hurried inside, locking the door behind him, he could still hear the sound of the disembodied voice calling his name.

"Mike..."

"I'm just tired! Yeah, I'm just hearing things," he told himself before hastily changing into his pajamas and hurrying to his kitchenette.

As he returned to his living room area and sat down in front of his TV, a small bit of cheese in hand, he nibbled nerviously as his alarm clock, microwave timer, cellphone, and just about every alarm in the house all seemed to go off at once.

And then, just as quickly, they all went silent.

The mouse went back to nibbling his cheese when he heard a loud thunk! coming up the stairs from the front entrance leading to the complex. Closer and closer it came. Soon it was in the upstairs hall. Now it was outside his front door.

Suddenly, the door to his apartment flew open to reveal a figure in what looked like a robe, a collar around it neck and shackles on its wrists, and behind it, what looked to be an overlarge case like one used to carry a musical instrument.

"Who the hell are you?!" Mike shouted, taking refuge behind his chair.

"Ask who I was," the newcomer moaned.

"Alright, who were you then?" the frightened rodent still had enough bravado to add a bit of bite to his words.

"In life..." the dreadful sound continued as the being dragged itself forward. "I was your teacher, Professor Bushtail."

"There's no way..." Mike murmured in disbelief. "I've gotta just be seeing things. I'll bet it was that fruitcake. Nancy's a knock-out but she's not exactly a good cook. Or she probably bought one of those cakes that's been sitting on the shelf for who knows how many Christmases?"

Suddenly the wolf in front of him tosses back his head and let out a loud, mournful howl.

"Foolish boy, do you believe in me now?!" he shouted, shaking the chain binding him to the large case.

"Yes, yes, alright!" Mike shouted, his hands over his ears to block out the sounds of misery. "But why are you here? You were a great teacher. You were the only one who understood and appreciated my talent. You said I could be a great musician, like you were!"

"I was a foolish musician and an even more foolish teacher!" the wolf wailed. "Instead of teaching young musicians the passion of playing and using their gifts to touch others and provide cheer and good-feeling, I taught them only to use their skills for quick gain and material success. Now, I wear these chains and bear the burden of my folly! Here! This case holds the precious violin I took for granted in life. And now in death, I must forever drag it with me, but can never open the case, nor play with these shackled paws!"

Suddenly, he opened his mouth, as though to begin singing, but all Mike heard were wails of anguish and lamentations of despair as the wolf's eyes filled with bitter tears.

"Even my singing has deserted me!" Bushtail began to weep. "All of this I have done of my own free will and now must suffer through all eternity. And the same shall befall you as well, Michael."

"No!" Mike gasped, clutching at his throat, unable to imagine losing his singing voice, much less dragging a saxophone case around, even one as small as his, for all eternity. "I-I can't! There's gotta be somethin' I can do!"

"There is," Bushtail's tone became urgent. "I don't have much time yet. There's still hope for you. In the name of your being my favorite student, and my hope that you won't end up like me, I've arranged for an intervention on your behalf."

"You always did look out for me, Professor," Mike actually smiled slightly. "What's this intervention about?"

"You'll be visited tonight by three spirits," Bushtail murmured sadly. "Each one arriving when the clock strikes."

"There's not something else I can do?" Mike looked disappointed. "I have to see these three dead guys?"

"This is your only chance!" Bushtail warned. "Listen to them, or be doomed like me!"

And with that, the old wolf was gone.

Mike stood in the center of his living room, sweating and trembling with fear, when suddenly a ringing filled his ears.

...

...

Alright, that was chapter 1 and I hope you all enjoyed it. With Sing 2 coming out in a few weeks, I hope this is enough to help tide everyone over. If not, I do have some more chapters for Picking up the Pieces and several one-shots for Christmas in Calatonia coming out all month long leading up to Christmas. Hope you guys check them out and if you enjoy them, be sure to leave a review or two. Chapter two of this will be out first thing the morning of Friday, December 3rd. Until then, everyone.