Christmas Carol

Chapter 4: Christmas Present

A loud bang echoed throughout the home. It rang disturbingly in Shadow's ears as his bloodshot eye shot open. He jolts up immediately, already being cautious with his surroundings. His travels around his room, pure darkness inside his room, except that one light shedding through from beneath his wooden door. It was not looking good for the ebony hedgehog. He delicately got out of his comfy bed, slowly tiptoeing towards the door.

He creaks it open, to find the fireplace heating the room warm. The warmth embracing Shadow was very comforting, however, he remembered himself putting the fire out before heading to bed. He could tell that he was not alone in the room. His hands start to glow gold as a spear forms in his hand.

"Who's there?" There was complete silence, except for the cracklings coming from the fireplace. Shadow didn't know why, but he was starting to feel a bit nervous. This was unlike him to feel such a thing, especially when there was an intruder in his home. He walks forward with slight creaks coming from the ground. He leaves the door open as we see the pitch black from his room, as two blue eyes open watching his every move. Shadow remains unaware of the complete black figure moving out of the room. Shadow turns back, one part of the room was completely dark, the figure was no where to be seen. Shadow frowns a bit. "Okay, who's there?" He turns back around, travelling further into the warm room. The blue eyes re-open as the figure itself rushes out, but it bumps into a lamp on the way. Shadow whips around hearing the sound. His hand raises up, ready to launch his weapon. "WHO IS IN MY HOUSE?!" Shadow's eyes turns into a death glare, ready to get rid of the intruder. But the figure was on the ceiling, his back to the ceiling and him looking down at the dangerous hedgehog. His eyes were the only thing visible.

Play time was over. The figure stands on the ceiling, walking upside down towards Shadow. Shadow turns on the lamp that was knocked down before. He was sure that someone was in the room with him. A whistle was heard behind him and immediately he whips around only to come face to face with the black wolf. "Hi." Shadow screams while stumbling backwards, knocking himself and the lamp down completely destroying it. He looks up to see the wolf jump down front he ceiling and landing perfectly on the ground. The figure was completely dark like the ebony hedgehog himself. It didn't really help the fact that the fireplace didn't place much light over the silhouette.

"Stay away from me you freak..." His blue eyes look over to Shadow's pure red ones. The figure laughs a bit before clicking his fingers. The whole room lights up with different floating candles that Shadow has never seen before. Magic dust swirls around the room before settling around both Shadow and the figure. The dust helps Shadow back on his feet while the magic surrounds the black wolf in front of him. Finally the magic settled on top of him forming a mistletoe crown on his head. His clicks his fingers again, making the room shine better revealing himself. The wolf crosses his arms while looking at him playfully.

"Oh well, spooking you was fun while it lasted." Shadow's eye twitches as he shoots right up on his feet.

"So, YOU were the one that lit up the fireplace?" The black wolf nods bluntly. Shadow sighs. "Uh, it's not the first time someone intruded into my house..." The wolf's face lit up.

"You met Alicia!?" Shadow nods slowly.

"If you mean the strange, cheerful and creepy girl that was in my dream earlier, then yes." He looks around the room. "I'm sure this is another dream..." He looks at him. "Maria said there was gonna be three spirits visiting..." The black wolf nods.

"Yep, and I'm the second one, just be thankful you're not meeting the third one yet. And to just state, this is not a dream, it's all real." Shadow rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, right..." He eyes the 'intruder' suspiciously. "Who are you?" The black wolf shake his head.

"Oh, sorry about that." He bows. "I'm Coal, Coal the Wolf. Ghost of Christmas Present, your Christmas Present." He stands up straight. "You met my sister Alicia, even though she's not my actual sister, we're just really close that I consider her my sister..." Coal grabs Shadow's hand. "Come on, time to go..." With the wave of his hand, another portal like Alicia's but black instead, appears. Coal pulls Shadow and pulls him into the portal. The trip was similar to Alicia's, Shadow looks around to see many swirls all around and he sees a bright light ahead. They both enter the bright light and they both appear in his loving room. Coal looks around seeing no decorations. "Wow, talk about Ebenezer Scrooge, you really need a social life." Shadow glares at him.

"I do not need a social life, I'm fine on my own."

"Yeah, that totally explains the fact that you and Amy got together earlier on in the year. And the saddest thing is that you are willing to..." A doorbell was heard cutting Coal off. Coal pulls Shadow as they both walk through the wall to see the young pink hedgehog knocking on his door. Coal smiles a bit while his eyes travel her body. "Wow, you got yourself a keeper...she's hot." Shadow growls a bit.

"Don't even think about it you pervert..." Coal laughs while putting his hands up defensively.

"Relax Shadow, I'm just kidding. But seriously, to finish off what I was saying before, the saddest thing about her is you are willing to give her up." Amy continues knocking.

"Shadow? Are you here? I'm sorry I tried to force you to like Christmas...I just want you to be happy..." No answer from the old home. She sighs, turning around and walking away form the home. Sonic was on the other side of the fence, he looks at her noticing her gloomy expression.

"Still not answering?" Amy shakes her head.

"I guess I made him a bit too upset, you know, I actually have been thinking a lot about this lately."

"About what?"

"About my relationship with Shadow the Hedgehog." Both Coal and Shadow observe the conversation. Shadow looks over at Coal.

"Why is she thinking about us?" Coal shrugs.

"Maybe it's because you have been a jerk to her recently...?" Amy looks up at Sonic.

"He's been a real jerk to me during these past few months..." Coal's face lit up.

"WHAT A GUESS! What...a...guess! I'm freaking psychic!" Shadow shushes him while he observes the conversation. Amy sighs.

"It's like he's not even committed to be in this relationship...I mean I actually do love him...I'm just not sure he doesn't even love me anymore..." Shadow takes a step closer to her.

"No, that's not true Amy, I do love you.." Coal frowns a bit.

"Then why did you kick her out of your home and shut her out during her favourite holiday?" Shadow glares at him.

"You are not helping!" She takes a deep breath and then lets it out.

"I'm gonna break up with him tomorrow." Sonic looked surprised. Everything around Shadow and Coal disappears into mist, everything around him was misty. Coal chuckles a bit while Shadow looked dejected. He looks down.

"Sh-She's gonna break up with me, on Christmas Day?" Coal chuckles.

"No, I said I was gonna show you the present Christmas Day, it's not Christmas Day yet, she's gonna break up with on Boxing Day." Shadow glances at him.

"Have I really been a jerk to her?" Coal frowns a bit.

"Uh no, you've been so sweet and kind to her that you kicked her out of your home...OF COURSE YOU WERE A DUMB-ASS DOUCHE-BAG TO HER!" After his outburst Coal then settles and chuckles a bit. "Then again, you must be fine with no social life, since you say that you are fine on your own..." What Shadow said earlier, it hit him in the gut pretty badly. Coal gives him a smile. "But, why stop here, there's still much more to show you!" Some mist surrounds Coal as he waves them off. "Sometimes the elder spirits can't come up with a better setting for us to reflect. Come on, we're going to Rouge's Christmas Party!" With the wave of his hand, both Shadow and Coal end up in Rouge's living room, the whole room was bright and decorated with Christmas decorations. A Christmas tree in the corner, the fireplace heating up the room, a mistletoe hanging in the doorway entrance. Shadow looks around, all of his allies are in one room, talking quite calmly with each other. Coal looks around with a small smile on his face. "Wow, now this is a party..." He looks at Shadow. "Why didn't you go? You know you wanted to..." Shadow shakes his head.

"I just thought that it was a waste of time..."

"Well it definitely wouldn't be if Amy was there with you, huh?"

"I guess, I didn't think of that." Coal rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you didn't..." Rouge blows a whistle causing everyone to look at her.

"Hey everyone, can I have your attention please! Now we all know that Amy, Shadow and Tails couldn't make it here today. Amy was quite a surprise, Shadow is not so surprising, we all know how much of an asshole he can be at these days." Shadow growls.

"Hey!" Coal shrugs.

"Well, it's what they think of you..." Rouge and everyone laughs a little after her comment.

"Thank you, but Tails, he's been unwell lately and cannot attend the Christmas party. So, we pray and wish him the best of luck in his recovery. Thank you for listening people." The doorbell rings making everyone fall silent. Rouge looks towards the door. "Just give me a second, I think we have another guest." She walks over to the door and opens it reveal both Amy and Sonic. Rouge gasps. "Amy! I thought you weren't gonna make it..." Amy smiles a bit.

"I guess, someone got me to change my mind...take a good guess..." Sonic chuckles a bit.

"Yeah, it was me. She's still a bit upset after what happened with Shadow yesterday, so she's been doing a lot of thinking..." Amy looks up at Rouge.

"I will break up with him tomorrow, he's just too much of a challenge. And I don't think he really loves me..." "Rouge smiles.

"Well, I know he's my G.U.N partner, but I don't really appreciate how he's been treating you. So, you're right to dump his dead-beat ass..." They all laugh as the scene fades to mist. Coal laughs.

"OKAY! Reflection time, now you know how everyone's been doing while you were away. What do you think about that?" Shadow stays silent as he reflects on what they've been saying about him.

"I can't believe that they think I am an asshole and inconsiderate. A childish personality who is so selfish. Is that what I am?" Coal frowns.

"Geez...it's not so obvious that that my brain hurts...OF COURSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE YOU MORON!" Shadow growls at him.

"Do you know what? Your sarcasm, your childish act and the fact that you are inconsiderate are really getting on my nerves." Coal just had his arms crossed not at all fazed by his 'insults'.

"Oh geez, I guess I really am all those things huh? So if I can't be all those things...then what makes you think it's okay for you to be that way then? It's really selfish thinking that I couldn't throw it back at your face." Coal sighs. "Look, I know Alicia had a different approach to this, a more childish optimistic approach. While me, I'm also childish, however, I know how to handle assholes like you, which is why I use so much sarcasm. Now my time with you is nearly up, there's one more thing I need to show you. Hopefully this will get it through your thick skull." Shadow stayed silent throughout the entire speech. Coal waves his hand and they were in a hospital room. It was pretty dark and gloomy, not even the while walls could cheer the place up. Shadow looks around but his eyes lands on a familiar fox lying in bed.

"Tails?" Coal looks at him.

"Yep, that's your young fox friend there. Thankfully he isn't badly hurt, but he is very weak right now." Shadow looks at Coal.

"What happened to him?"

"Oh yeah, while he was out with Sonic on his usual run-ins with Dr Eggman, Tails got injured when his plane crashed nearby in the fight. Unfortunately, that injury contracted a bacteria that got Tails really sick. The human doctors still don't know what the bacteria is or where it came from, but there is no cure to it. They fear that it maybe the same bacteria that caused the black death in the Middle Ages. They found a cure for humans, however, they tried the treatment on Tails, looks like it doesn't treat Mobians though." Coal looks at Shadow. "Sonic and the others are really worried for him...I'm sure you are too?" Shadow sighs.

"I didn't even know this happened to Tails...how long does he have?" Coal shrugs.

"If he's lucky a few months, really lucky a whole year, the treatment they've been giving him is slowing the process. He has a whole year to live, he might not make it next Christmas. At this point, there's nothing the doctors could do, unless there was something that could cure any disease, infection or cancer." Shadow's eyes widened.

"Wait a minute, my blood, it can cure him." He looks down at his hands. "Gerald Robotnik created me to cure Maria of her illness. Maybe it can cure the Black Death too. But I still don't see what this has to do with Christmas..." Coal rolls his eyes.

"Yeah...whatever..." Suddenly the whole scene fades to mist and darkness surprising both SHadow and Coal. Coal frowns a bit.

"Stange, there was still more to show you..." Shadow looks at him strangely.

"Wait you mean that wasn't supposed to happen?" Coal shakes his head.

"No it wasn't...unless my time with you is up..." Then his face turned grim as his crowns fades from his head and his body turns dead. "Oh my god...my time with you is up...my time with you is up...my time with you is up..." Shadow frowns at him.

"Coal? What is going on?" Coal looks up.

"YOU CAN'T COME IN YET! I HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED! PLEASE! GIVE ME MORE TIME!" Shadow's face turns into a horror look as Coal looks back at him. His eyes were completely dead. "I haven't even finished...he's coming..." Coal's whole body then turns into dust and flows away in the mysterious wind. Shadow looks around him, all of the mist is fading away, the darkness is embracing him the temperature falls deeper into the cold. Shadow desperately looks around, a hooded figure is right in front of him.

"What the heck are you?"

Happy holidays guys XD! You guys enjoy your white, Wintery Christmas while I enjoy my warm, Summer Christmas XD. I know this chapter is shorter than the last but it is also more straight forward. Thank you for the support you guys have been giving me. I know it's been a whole year, but this year I will finish this story. And it looks like things have took a dark turn for Shadow.

I will be busy during these six weeks off from school...yay...unless you have to study :(...because it is HSC time and time to try and get good results for me to get to University (I'm just gonna call it Uni). And because I will be helping my Mum with Christmas cooking XD

So thanks for the support :)

Coal the Wolf belongs to me

KatDingo over and out