The blaring loud sound of musical instruments playing Christmas Carols awoke Arthur from his light sleep. He sat up in bed.

"What in the bloody-"

A small harp flew past his head, almost hitting him.

"Get up! Come on! Wouldn't you like to dance?"asked a strange Finnish man.

"Now why would I-"

He yanked Arthur out of bed and began dancing,"Smile!"

"Why?"

"It's Christmas of course!"

He laughed joyfully; he continued to dance.

"I am the Spirit of Christmas Present! But they call me Tino."

"Uhg you're the second spirit.."

"And you're Arthur Kirkland! Now with the introductions out of the way-"

He finally stopped dancing and whistled. The instruments all got in line, save for one tiny flute that hurried to get in line with the rest. Once they were all in a line the instruments disapeared.

"Let's get started."Tino held out his hand for him to take.

Arthur debated whether or not he should take his hand.

"Come on I don't bite."

He hesitated before taking the spirits hand.

Suddenly they were in the streets of the town,"This my friend is the morning of Christmas!"

There were many people along the streets. You could hear choirs singing and hear people say Merry Christmas to those whom they haven't seen in a long time and to those they talked to just yesterday.

"Can you feel that Arthur?"

"Feel what?"

"The joy passing though each person out here"

"I..I believe so I do feel happier."

"I believe that where ever you find love, it's Christmas."

"Is that so."

"Look-it's your nephew!"

Alfred walked by with a cheerful smile on his face. He went inside his house along with a few other people. The Spirit of Christmas Present and Arthur went through the wall to his nephew's living room.

"This must be his Christmas party."

Alfred walked to the front of the room.

"Well what do you think we should do now folks?"

"We should play a game."

The man whom had come to collect donations for the poor stood up.

"Good idea Toris how about a guessing game here I'll go."

Gilbert began walking around the room. Arthur became excited and listened attentively.

"I am zhinking of an unvanted being in zhis town"

"Is it a spirit?"

"Hm, nein."

"Can it be found along the streets?"

"Usually."

"Is it a food?"

"Nein."

"Oh! Is it a rat?

"Close."

"Is it a person?"

"Ja."

"Oh i know who it is!"

"Do you?"

"It's Arthur Kirkland!"

"Correct!"

Everyone began laughing, except for one person. Alfred sat with a straight expression and looked away from his friends. Arthur's shoulders sagged with sadness.

"Oh dear, that's just horrible. I'm sorry."

"Don't be spirit...I suppose it's time to go to our next stop."

"Oh it is, thank you for reminding me."

The surroundings around them changed to the streets.

"Oh look Arthur it's Roderich Edelstein 's house."

"It's Edelstein 's house?"

"It is? How do you know that?"

"You just told me spirit."

"I did? Well I am forgetful and trustworthy so we should listen to what I just said."

They looked through the window, rarther than going into the house. Inside they spotted a woman cooking.

"That must be Edelstein's wife."

His wife set a plate on the table and a young boy helped her set down a plate of roasted chestnuts. Another came and quickly grabbed one. His mother hit his hand with a small towel.

"Lovino! Jou have to vait for jour Father, Lily, and Basch."

"Hmph, why do we-a have to wait for-a them huh-a?"

"Because I said so!"

"Fratello, will you help me-a with the goose-a?"

"Idiota, fine then-a. Don't burn yourself-a Feliciano."

The boy laughed as he looked at his older brother,"I won't as long-a as you-a help me-a."

"How come their accents are different?"

"Hm? Oh! Because Roderich's father was Italian and his mother was from Austria. He had been raised by his mother, while his two older sons were raised by their grandfather. They didn't get to live with their parents until they were 10 and 9 years old. Pretty sad huh?"

"Erm, yeah."

Roderich Edelstein and his children, Basch and Lily, were walking down the street. Lily sat on her father's shoulder while he held her crutch. He swung it as he walked. They were singing coming down the street. Basch just walked silently beside his father and sister.

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly-"

"Fa la la la la, la la la la-"

"Tis the season to be jolly-"

"Fa la la la la, la la la la-"

"Don we now our gay apparel-"

"Fa la la, la la la, la la la-"

"Trol the ancient Yule tide carol-"

"Fa la la la la, la la la la!"

They laughed and he set his daughter down as he handed her her crutch.

"Come on now, let's go inside Lily und Basch."

"Yes Vati!"

"Merry Christmas everybody!"

"Merry Christmas Papa!"

"Come on now, I'm almost finish vith zhe Christmas dinner.

"Oh the Christmas dinner zhe goose! Zhe goo-"

Lily had a coughing fit and was surrounded by her mother and father.

"Lily, jou've over excited jourself come sit, sit." Her mother ushered her to her seat.

"Ja Anya."

She moved to sit in her chair.

" How vas church Roderich?"

"As good as golden, she told me she hoped zhat zhe people saw her in church because it might remind zhem zhat upon Christmas day beggars valk and blind people see."

"What a remarkable child."

"She is."

"Their dinner is so small."

"And much appericated too."

"Mr. Kirkland."

"Roderich? Roderich Edelstein?" Arthur went inside, closly followed by Tino.

"It only feels right zhat I lift a glass up to my employer, Arthur Kirkland, the true founder of zhe feast," he lifted his glass.

"The founder of the feast indeed Roderich! Hmph, if Arthur Kirkland vhere here I vould give him a piece of my mind und I bet he vould choke on it!"

"That-a damn bastardo doesn't deserve a toast-a for founding-a this feast!"

"Zhat's right! He's a greedy jerk and deserves to be left on the road for dead!" Basch slammed his hand down on the table.

"Elizabeta, the children, Christmas"

"Ah vell i suppose zhat in the spirit of the blessed day of Christmas zhat ve raise a glass to Mr. Kirkland even zhough he ist odious, stingy, und wicked und unfeeling und-"

"To ze founder of ze feast Mr. Kirkland!"Lily said.

"To-a nice Mr. Kirkland!"

"Ugh."

"Cheers!"

They all took a sip of their drinks.

"God bless us everyone," Lily said before going into another coughing fit.

"Lily!"

"Spirit-please tell me if Lily will live."

"That is the future my place is the present; however, I see an empty seat next to the chimney fire and a crutch without an owner, if these shadows stay the same I believe she will die and if she's going to she better do it to decrease the surpluse population!"

"Oh spirit..."

Their surroundings began to change once again. As the family began to disapear, Arthur kept his eyes on Lily the whole time.

"Come on, my time grows short."

They were now infront of a church gate. The Spirit of Christmas Present now had grey hair and his skin was showing signs of wrinkling.

"Tino, do you grow old?"

"I do."

The ghost laughed and then sat down on a nearby bench.

"My life is very brief. I believe it will end at the stroke of twelve."

The church bells began to ring to show that it was 12.

"Now!? But I have learned so much from you spirit, don't leave me."

"I must."

"But you have changed me."

"And now I leave you with the spirit of yet to come..."

"You mean the future?"

"Go forth and know him."

Tino began to laugh as he faded away. Arthur was now standing alone. A thick fog began to roll in and soon he found himself on his bed. He let out a deep sigh and soon fell back to sleep.