"What do you mean you can't make it?!" I hiss into my cell phone. Today is the trail day. My neighbor has a smug look on his face, even though the judge hasn't walked into the room. To make matters worse, Ichigo just called me to tell me he can't do the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

"Look, I already told you I'm only a substitute!" yelled Ichigo. With that, he hung up. This was quit a mess. I had asked Ryuk, but he was going on Opera with Light. I had also asked Lelouch, but he had a date with C.C. planned. Hell, I even considered Botan, but she's too cheerful.

Just then the judge walked in and we all stood. Sadly for me, I had Mihoshi as my lawyer. Apparently she was all I could afford. Curse my low financial state!

"Darthvalgaav," began the judge. "You stand accused of assault and for…yes?" My neighbor was now raising his hand which caught the judge's attention.

"No offence," he said, "but can we get a different judge? You're too fat."

"Excuse me?!"

"Also, I demand a jury. A jury composed of atheists."

"Your honor," said my neighbor's lawyer as he quickly stood up. "Please allow me a moment to speak with my client."

"I strongly suggest that you do," said the judge.

"Well, while we wait, let's get on with the story. After all, it's almost Christmas. Mihoshi, cue the disclaimer."

"A very good idea," agreed the judge.

"Darthvalgaav doesn't own either Naruto or a Christmas Carol. What you are reading right now is something he is doing for free and because he doesn't have a girlfriend."

-x-

Sasuke sat on his bed. What he had just gone through felt like it had taken days, maybe weeks. He had no idea really. All he knew was that he was alone in his room.

Alone. That word had had never before seemed so real. As he thought back to that day when Sakura left him for good, he realized a few things. One was that he wasn't completely honest with Sakura. Yes, to some degree he was jealous of Naruto. But that wasn't all. Naruto had taken away his revenge against the village when he had defeated Madara. He couldn't just let that go. But at the same time he realized that it was his desire for revenge that had cost him something precious to him.

As he thought this, the clock next to his bed began to chime. He stared at it for a moment and when it was finished Sasuke looked around for the next ghost. But nothing came. There was no flash of light or rattling of chains. The only sound he heard was his own breathing. Letting out a sigh, Sasuke began to think that all he had was simply a bad dream.

Then a bright light came on in the room right across from his own. Sasuke could see it clearly. It was a bright, golden color. Soon, Sasuke began to smell the most wonderful things. Cooked fish with lemon, herbs, spices, turkey, hot buns, and so much more that made his mouth water. And then came a voice that sounded familiar.

"Ho ho ho, come in and know me better man," said the voice in a joyful manner. Sasuke rose from his bed and carefully walked over to the door and opened it. What he beheld was like nothing he could have imagined. The room was full of items ranging from apples to presents. In one corner of the room was a much larger pile and on top of it was the source of the golden light. It shined in the shape of a four pointed star, like a star on top of a Christmas tree. As it continued to shine, its shape began to change. It grew larger and more human shaped. When it was done, Sasuke beheld someone who he knew was dead, Haku. He still wore his mask, but was now dressed in a green robe with fur lining. There was also a ring of holly in his long black hair and a scabbard without a sword.

"You're," began Sasuke as he pointed at Haku.

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present," replied the ghost. This caused Sasuke to blink.

"But you look like someone I once knew," he replied.

"It could have been one of my brothers," laughed the ghost. "I do have over two thousand. Well, two thousand and eight older brothers."

"No, that's not what I meant," said Sasuke. He then let out a sigh. "Never mind, it's nothing important. So are you my present?"

"No," laughed the ghost. "I am the present. I exist in the here and now and the now is Christmas."

"And what is all of this?" asked Sasuke as he gestured to the items that now filled the room.

"This is the feast of generosity which you have deprived your fellow men," replied the ghost. "Now, let us go into the streets so that you may see what your eyes have been closed to for so long." An ice mirror then appeared in the middle of the room, but indeed of reflecting what was in the room it showed the streets of the village. Haku took Sasuke by the hand and the two of them simply walked into it.

In the streets, the people walked around wishing each other a Merry Christmas. There was no need to worry about which religion they belonged to. No, it was more of an invitation than anything else. They were inviting others to share in the joy of the season. They walked around with gifts still to give, wrapped in colorful paper. Others walked with food while others simply strolled down the street.

As Sasuke and Haku seemingly walked down the street, the Uchiha noticed that the spirit would sprinkle people from time to time with snowflakes made of golden light.

"Spirit, what are you doing?" asked Sasuke.

"In this time of year, people are given the Christmas spirit," said the ghost. "It fills them just joy and thanks. Yet onto the poor I will give more."

"Why the poor?" asked Sasuke.

"Because they need it more," was the answer.

"Another question, where is your sword?"

"A sword is a weapon of war and hate," replied the ghost. "But on my belt I carry only peace so that I may enter the hearts and homes of all people." Sasuke didn't reply as they passed by a closed feeding home for the poor and homeless. Sasuke looked at it and then at the spirit.

"Spirit, you claim to represent so much good," he began. "But the actions of those like you speak differently. The people who speak of your work are the same people who close places on Sundays so as to deny a person's meal."

"They speak of my name, but they do not know me," replied the spirit with a hint of anger. "What they do, they do out of greed and self interest. They are as strange to me and my family as if they had never existed."

Soon, the pair arrived at the orphanage where Sasuke's nephew lived. They walked through walls, unseen by all, until they found Susumu. He was sitting with a group of his friends, laughing and enjoying each other's company.

"Ok, who's next?" asked one of them.

"I got a good one," said Susumu with a grin. "Guess."

"Vegetable or fruit?" asked one.

"No."

"Mineral?" asked another.

"No."

"Then it must be an animal," said the only girl. Susumu nodded.

"Is it friendly?" asked the first.

"No," said Susumu with a laugh.

"Is it found in the wild?" asked the second.

"No."

"On a farm?" asked the girl.

"Nope."

"In the city?" asked the second.

"Yes."

"Is it wanted like a cat or dog?" asked the second again.

"No."

"Is it a rat?" asked the first.

"No."

"Is it a cockroach?" asked the second.

"No, but people like being around it as much as they do a cockroach."

"I got it!" cried the girl. "It's Uchiha Sasuke!"

"Yes!"

As everyone began to laugh and cheer, Sasuke tried to turn away. He should have been angry at what they were saying about him, but he wasn't. He felt…hurt. Was he truly so horrible that even these children despised him? He wanted to turn around and leave so that he wouldn't hear what else they had to say, but the ghost hold him to the spot.

"Hey Susumu-kun, where did you go yesterday?" asked the girl.

"Oh, I just went to ask my uncle if he could see the play we put on this morning," replied Susumu.

"Don't know why you even try," said one of the boys. "He's nothing but a jerk. He makes everyone around him miserable and for no reason."

"I heard that he once betrayed the village," said the other boy.

"I know but…he's still my uncle," said Susumu as he looked at the ground and smiled sadly. "I just can't give up trying."

Just then, another ice mirror appeared in front of the two unseen guests. Wanting to get away from the source of his unseen guilt, Sasuke walked into the mirror and saw that he was now in front of a small three roomed house. It was no more than a tiny cottage. Looking around, he noticed that they were in the poorest section of the village.

"Why have you brought us here?" asked Sasuke.

"Because it's Christmas here as well," replied the ghost. Sasuke looked at him and noticed that he now had white streaks in his hair. Before Sasuke could ask about this Haku spoke again. "This is the home of Uzumaki Naruto."

After hearing this, Sasuke eagerly walked through the wall. He had never been here before and he wanted to see it and his old teammate's misery. Yet, what he saw wasn't misery. It was humble, perhaps barely getting by, but there was no misery.

The first figure in the room that stood out was Uzumaki Hinata. After telling Naruto her feeling and then after hearing that Sakura had told Naruto that she loved him in order to get him to stop chasing after Sasuke, she had decided to talk to him when he got back and the situation was a bit more peaceful. He was still having a hard time deciding on how to deal with Sasuke. Yet, somehow, her words helped remind him that he still was Uzumaki Naruto. She reminded him that he was a person who did what he felt was right, regardless of what others thought or said. And later that night, they fell asleep in each other's embrace. Since that time, Hinata had grown into a vision of beauty and motherhood. Her hair was still long, but she had traded her heavy jacket for an apron.

Setting the table were the twins Ai and Kohaku. The two girls were both six years old. They had their mother's hair but their eyes were blue with no pupils. Sasuke looked at the girls and noticed that their clothing was little better than rags, stained and dirty.

"Kaa-san, when will tou-san and Kenta-niichan get home," asked one of the girls.

"Soon Ai-chan," said Hinata while she stood over a pot. "Knowing your tou-san, he probably decided to go up to the monument after church. And you know he likes to take his time with Kenta-chan on his shoulders."

"But long enough to miss one of your amazing meals," said Naruto as he entered the house with a small boy on his shoulder. He couldn't have been over three years old. Looking at him, Sasuke saw that he was like a mini version of Naruto without the whisker birthmarks or pupils. But one other thing was different and he saw it as clear as day when Naruto get him on ground. The small boy needed a handmade crutch in order to walk.

Hinata walked away from the stove and kissed her husband.

"How was he at church?" she asked.

"As good as Ichiruka's Ramen and better," said Naruto. "You know, he said the strangest thing to me as we were walking home. He said that he hoped the people in church saw him and that it might be pleasant for them to remember on Christmas Day who made lame beggars walk and blind men see." Hinata's eyes began to water slightly, but she kept them hidden as best she could. She had to be strong in front of the children.

Sasuke watched as the family prepared to eat their Christmas dinner which Sasuke thought was too small. They had a tinny goose which probably had been starved to death, some rice, and baby carrots. And their portions were so small that no one could be satisfied with.

"Wow, look at all the food!" cried Kenta. "There's so much!"

"Yeah, I thought we should splurge at least once a year," said Naruto as he rubbed the back of his head.

"That's slurping?" asked Sasuke to the spirit. "It's barely anything at all."

"But it is much appreciated," said Haku as he poured the golden snowflakes on the family. Sasuke said nothing as he watched the family sit down to dinner, keeping a close eye on Kenta. He had heard that their son was ill and with medical treatment he could get better in time. That was when he decided to ban civilians from the hospitals. He had only wanted to hurt Naruto, but now he saw that the person he was really hurting was this small child who seemed to be handling it every well.

"A toast," said Naruto as he raised his glass of water. "To Uchiha Sasuke, the founder of the feast." This snapped Sasuke out of his thoughts. After all he had done to the village and to him Naruto was still willing to offer him a toast. He was so stunned that he was speechless. Hinata, on the other hand, was very vocal about her husband's decision.

"Him, the founder of the feast?" she asked in an angered voice. "How can you say that after everything that he has done? He has tried to kill you, neatly starts a war, and is now slowly destroying the village. He has even stolen your dream away. I wish he was here right now so I could tell him off. Founder of the feast indeed. The only feast he hungers for is revenge and he is never satisfied."

"But its Christmas," said Naruto. "And the children."

"Fine," said Hinata with a sigh of defeat. "But I'll drink for your sake, not his." She then raised her glass. "To Uchiha Sasuke, may he be happy and have good fortune." The rest of the family raised their glasses and responded with Kenta being the loudest.

As the night went on, Sasuke watched as the Uzumaki family celebrated this special day. Once they had desert, which had been a gift from Choji, they began to sing Christmas carols and tell stories. After several hours, there came a knock on the door which turned out to be Tsunade and Shizune.

"How's everyone doing?" asked the now retired Hokage.

"Hi hiooba-chan," said all the children at once. Tick marks appeared on her forehead while Shizune tried to hold back her laughter.

"What's up baa-chan?" asked Naruto. A moment later he was sent flying into a wall thanks to Tsunade's fist.

"It's bad enough that your children call me 'great-grandmother'," she said as Naruto picked himself up from off the floor. "So don't push your luck."

"Merry Christmas," said Shizune. Today she had dressed a bit more festive. Today her kimono was red and she was wearing a red Santa hat.

"Merry Christmas," replied Hinata. "We didn't know you were going to be stopping by. If we did, we would have tried to…"

"No need," said Tsunade as she interrupted Hinata. "I decided to stop by to give Kenta-chan a quick check up." Tsunade then walked over to Kenta and knelt down. "This won't hurt a bit." Kenta nodded as Tsunade placed her palm on his chest. For a moment it glowed green and she closed her eyes. She then opened them, put her hand down, and gave Kenta a forced smile. "I think you got a bit better. But you better rest up a bit more."

"I think they all should," said Hinata which caused groans from both the girls. "None of that now. Off to bed." Like a shepherd, Hinata herded them into the other room.

"So how bad is he really?" asked Naruto once the others had left.

"No change," she replied as she shook her head. "His best chance right now is surgery and I can't do it in here. Naruto, if I were you I'd leave the village and get him some medical attention and soon."

"You know I can't," said Naruto as he shook his head. "Sasuke would hunt me and my family down as if we were wild animals. I'm just too strong to be allowed to leave." Naruto then looked down at the floor. "Also, I'm afraid that Kenta won't be able to handle the trip in his condition."

"But he'll have a better chance if he…" Tsunade began but stopped when she felt Shizune's palm rest on her shoulder.

"You know he's right Tsunade-sama," said Shizune. "In order to escape they would have to move at high speeds. Kenta-chan's condition would kill him before Sasuke's shinobi could catch them."

"Damnit," swore Tsunade as she punched her own palm. "I can't believe that this is it. We worked so hard to rebuild this village after Orochimaru and Pein destroyed it only to have that gaki tear it down. Why couldn't I stop him?" At this point, tears were falling down her face. Naruto walked over to her and held her in his arms.

"Spirit, will Kenta die?" asked Sasuke.

"That is the future," said Haku. Now is hair was all white and there were liver spots on his hands. "My domain is the present. However, I do see an empty seat were a child once sat and a crotch without an owner. If these visions remain unaltered, I believe that the boy will die. But if he's going to die then he'd better to it. It is what the weak deserve." Sasuke looked into the masked face of Haku in terror of hearing his own words. He turned quickly and went to the wall where he knew that on the other side was Kenta and walked through it. But on the other side wasn't a room at all. He was standing in the streets with Haku next to him. However, Haku was looking much older than what he had just moments ago.

"Spirit, you have aged," said Sasuke.

"My time on earth is limited to a single day," said Haku. "Once the clock strikes midnight, I will die." Sasuke nodded and then noticed something moving under Haku's robes.

"Spirit, I'm afraid to say this but I think there is something under your robe," said Sasuke as he pointed. "It looks like a claw."

"It might as well be a claw," replied Haku as he lifted his robe. Sasuke took a step back in horror at what he saw. They were children, but barely human. They clung to Haku's legs and hissed and growled at Sasuke. Their teeth were rotten and hair soaked with mud.

"Are those your children?" asked Sasuke with a gulp.

"These are humanities children," replied Haku. "The boy is Ignorance and the girl is Want. Beware they both but especially the boy for Doom is written on his brow."

"But if they are humanities children then why are they with you? Don't they have any refuge or recourses?"

"Are there no prisons?" counter the ghost as the bell began to toll. "Are there no work houses?" If the ghost had wanted to say anymore, he was now unable to for the last bell had rung. He fell to his knees and his mask cracked revealing ashes and a skull. Then the remains and the children simply vanished in a fog that consumed all.

-x-

"I have made my decision," said the judge. "After looking at all the evidence, Darthvalgaav did try to take a swing at his neighbor. However, the attack was provoked. Also, his neighbor has commited theift and over crimes against him. So I find the defendant, not guilty."

"I object!" yelled my neighbor. "He has been deeply affending me for years by expressing his faith for all the world to see!"

"And he has the right to as it is protected by the First Amendment," said the judge.

"You haven't heard the last of me," my neighbor replied as he pointed at the judge. "I'll be calling you, your boss, and everyone else I have to so that I will have my way." With that he storms out.

"Well that's one problem that is gone," I say as I stand up. "Now I just have to get someone to play the last ghost." I think for a minute before a light bulb appears above my head. "I got it!"

-x-

Sasuke stood alone in a world of mist, waiting for the last ghost to appear. Then, walking toward him was a figure in a black robe and hood. Sasuke gulped, wondering what this spirit would be like. Then, it tripped causing Sasuke to blink in confusion.

"Ouch, that hurt," whined the figure as streams of tears shot out from her hood.

"Just hurry up baka!" yelled another voice. This one was male and sounded irritated as hell.

"Hai," said the cloaked figure. It reached into its robes and pulled out…a stage light? Sasuke nearly face faulted when he saw it. The light was then turned on and the fog vanished. Sasuke turned around and saw who the light was shining on. And that being began to sing.

"Hello, my baby!
Hello, my honey!
Hello, my ragtime gal!

Send me a kiss by wire.
Baby, my heart's on fire!

If you refuse me,
Honey, you lose me.
Then you'll be left alone.

Oh baby, telephone
And tell me I'm
Your own!"

Sasuke just stared with an eye twitch.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded after a while.

"Me? Well for today I am the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. But that is a mouthful so you may call me Darthvalgaav!"