Any question you might have, might be answered at the bottom. But now onto Chapter 3.
Chapter 3
A Day At The Office
The Book World
Drake, Abigail, Ezran, Callum, and Soren watched Scrooge go in and process what just happened. "Well that just happened." Callum said to everyone. "Reminds me of the song you guys did about Kumandra." Soren said to everyone, rudding Callum's head.
"But I gotta say that Scrooge is an unpleasant fellow." Abigail said to everyone, as Drake. "According to this, which keeps having writing appear on the blank pages. He's a tightfisted hand at the grindstone, A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, clutching, covetous old sinner." Drake said to everyone.
"He can't be that bad? Can he?" Ezran asked everyone, as Drake closed the book. "Let's look through the window and find out." Soren said to everyone. Everyone turned to the window, only to find it was covered up so badly that they couldn't see through it.
"Man, this place is really dirty. One sec." Abigail said, as she cleaned part of the window, letting everyone see inside.
Inside, they noticed a Greninja working at a high standing desk, writing in a book, and a handful of Normal Rattata working on books on looker desks in the room.
Then they noticed Scrooge was standing in front of an Appletun. "Bob Cratchit?" Scrooge asked a Greninja working at a high standing desk, writing in a book.
"Yes, Mr. Scrooge?" Bob asked Scrooge. "Who is this?" Scrooge asked Bob, pointing his cane to the Heliolisk. "It's Mr. Applegate, sir. He's here to speak to you about his… mortgage." Bob said to Scrooge, before lowering his head.
"Mr. Scrooge, I know you're very angry about that, this, And I didn't mean to fall behind in the payment. Arceus knows it being Christmas and all." Mr. Applegate said to Scrooge, as Scrooge put his cane, hat, and cloak on his desk on the back of the room, like Mr. Applegate wasn't there.
"Please don't shout at me, sir. That and, of course, little gwen. Her lungs aren't right. The Blissey takes her share, doesn't she?" Mr. Applegate asked Scrooge, as Scrooge walked up to Mr. Applegate. "You can yell and scream, and you're right, But it won't do no good. Because I'm the stone you can't squeeze blood from. And that's the truth!" Mr. Applegate said to Scrooge, as Scrooge grabbed him, opened the front door, and tossed him out of the room.
"He didn't show any sign of anything. Like this is something he's done so much that he feels nothing from it." Abigail said to everyone, as they watched all of this from the window. "Just how bad is this guy?" Callum asked everyone, as Scrooge closed the door, making the Rattata work faster in fear.
"Let's us deal with the eviction notices for tomorrow, Mr. Cratchit." Scrooge said to Bob, as he walked to his desk. "Uh… Tomorrow's Christmas, sir." Bob said to Scrooge, as he walked up to Scrooge.
"Very well, you may gift wrap them." Scrooge said to Bob, as he gave Bob a massive stack of letters. "Let us help you with that, Mr. Cratchit." A Rattata said, as few of the Rattatas help Bob. "My, there are certainly a lot today." Bob said to Scrooge.
"Here you go." Bob said to the Rattatas, as he passed the letters to them, only for the Rattatas to lose control of the stack of letters, and fall to the floor making a massive mess.
"Christmas is a very busy time for us, Mr. Cratchit. People preparing feasts, giving parties. Spending the mortgage money on frivolities. One might say that December is the foreclosure season. Harvest time for the moneylenders." Scrooge said to Bob, with a nasty smile on his face.
"I thought Christmas was a day of joy and love?" Ezran asked everyone from outside. "It sounds like only taking money and making people suffer brings him joy." Drake said to Ezran. "That's so sad." Abigail said to everyone, as they watched the Rattatas gather around Bob, asking for him to talk to Scrooge for them, and Bob taking a step closer to Scrooge.
"If you please, Mr. Scrooge, it's gotten colder. The bookkeeping staff would like to have an extra shovel of coal for the fire." Bob asked Scrooge. "We can't do the bookkeeping." A Rattata said to Scrooge. "Our pens have turned to ink-cicles." A second Rattata said to Scrooge. "Our assets are frozen." A Third Rattata said to Scrooge.
"How would the bookkeepers like to be suddenly UNEMPLOYED?" Scrooge asked everyone, yelling the last part, with his fangs becoming encased in fire.
"Heat wave! This is my island in the sun!" All the Rattata said, as they suddenly changed into their Alola forms, and we're wearing tropical outfits.
"I, I believe you're convinced them once again, mr. Scrooge." Bob said to Scrooge, as he and the Rattatas got back to work. Scrooge laughed at this, proud of his workers' fear of him.
"Is he enjoying this?" Callum asked everyone. "We can't just sit here and do nothing." Soren said to everyone. "As much as I want to help them, I don't think he'll listen to us. And given he's a fully evolved Pokemon, and we don't know how to use an attack, we'll probably lose if we fight him head on." Drake said to everyone, as the book glowed purple.
"Look, the book." Callum said to everyone, making everyone turn to Drake, and Drake opening the book. "More writing has appeared on the pages." Drake said to everyone.
"What does it say now?" Callum asked Drake. "It says at this moment, who should arrive at the door but Scrooge's nephew, Fred. His only living relative." Drake said to everyone.
"This guy has a nephew?" Soren asked everyone. "I guess so." Drake said to everyone, as he closed the book, and a Cinderace wearing a brown coat and top hat, plus a red scarf walked up to the door.
"Hello? Uncle?" The Cinderace said, knocking on the door, making snow fall from the roof and onto Callum. "I guess that's Fred." Abigail said to everyone, as Fred went inside.
"A merry Christmas, Uncle Scrooge. Aruces save you." Fred said to Scrooge, holding the door open. "Merry Christmas? Bah. Humbug!" Scrooge said to Fred.
"Quick, it'll be warmer in there." Callum said to everyone, shaking off the snow on him. Callum then ran inside the building with everyone following him. And once they were all inside, Fred closed the door.
"Christmas a humbug, Uncle? You don't mean that, surely." Fred said to Scrooge, as he walked up to Scrooge, taking off his hat, with the gang shivering.
"Actually, I think it's colder in here." Abigail said to everyone. "It has to be Scrooge. You think a fire type would make things warmer, not colder." Drake said to everyone, as Fred took a set.
"Merry Christmas, you say? What right have you to be merry? You're poor enough." Scrooge said to Fred. "What right have you to be dismal? You're rich enough." Fred said to Scrooge.
"He's got him there. The old cat's speechless." Callum said to everyone.
"If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with "merry Christmas" on his lips would be cooked with his own turkey and buried with a stake of holly through his heart." Scrooge said to Fred, giving everyone but Fred a chilling feeling.
"What were you saying about speechlessness?" Drake asked Callum. "Well, not quite speechless." Callum said to Drake.
"Uncle…" Fred said to Scrooge, but was interrupted by Scrooge. "Nephew. You keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine." Scrooge said to Fred.
"Christmas is a loving, honest and charitable time. And though I never put a scrap of silver or gold in my pocket, I believe Christmas has done me good and will do me good, and I say Arceus bless it." Fred said to Scrooge, getting the attention of everyone, and making everyone cheer.
"And how does one celebrate Christmas on the UNEMPLOYMENT LINE?" Scrooge asked everyone, yellign the last part, with his fangs becoming encased in fire. This made everyone yell, and Bob and the Rattatas got back to work.
Meanwhile, while Abigail and Soren were trying to get a fire going, Drake was reading a new page in the book to Callum and Ezran. "Now, in these time, it was customary on Christmas Eve for well-meaning gentlemen to call upon businesses, collecting donations for the poor and homeless." Drake said to everyone, as the door opened, and standing in the doorway was a Metagross and a Claydol walked into the place, with them both wearing suits and top hats.
"Who are you?" Scrooge asked the Metagross and Claydol. "We're from the Order of Xerneas Charity Foundation. We'd like to speak to you about a donation." Metagross said to Scrooge, as they walked into the room, and closed the door.
"Ah! Welcome! This jolly old gentleman here is Mr. Scrooge. He's very generous to charities." Fred said to Metagross and Claydol, leading them to Scrooge. "My dear nephew!" Scrooge said to Fred, getting agitated by this.
"At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge, Many of us feel we must take care of our poor and homeless." Metagross said to Scrooge. "Are there no prisons? No poor houses?" Scrooge asked Metagross.
"Oh, plenty of those, sir." Metagross said to Scrooge. "Oh. Excellent. For a movement, I was worried." Scrooge said to Metagross. "Some of us are endeavoring to raise a fund for the poor and homeless. What might I put you down for?" Metagross asked Scrooge, not getting the hidden message that he didn't want them money.
"Nothing." Scrooge said to Metagross. "You wish to remain anonymous?" Metagross asked Scrooge. "I wish to be left alone. I do not make merry myself for Christmas." Scrooge said to Metagross.
"That certainly is true." Fred said to everyone. "I cannot afford to make idle people merry." Scrooge said to everyone. "That is certainly not true." Fred said to everyone.
"Don't you have other things to do this afternoon, nephew?" Scrooge asked Fred. "Sadly, I do, Uncle. So I shall make my donation. And leave you to make yours." Fred said to Scrooge, as he got up, put on his hat, gave Claydol a couple coins, and started to walk out of the room. "Thank you so very much." Metagross said to Fred.
Fred then stopped. "Oh, Uncle, come and have Christmas dinner with me and Clara tomorrow." Fred said to Scrooge, turning to Scrooge. "Why ever did you get married?" Scrooge asked Fred. "Why? Because I fell in love." Fred said to Scrooge, making Scrooge laugh.
"That's the only thing in the world sillier than a merry Christmas." Scrooge said to Fred. "It's not use Uncle. I shall keep my christmas humor to the last. A merry Christmas to you and a happy New Year." Fred said to Scrooge, pulling out a Christmas reef from his jacket and handing it up.
"Merry Christmas, Fred." Bob said to Fred. "Merry Christmas, Bob." Fred said to Bob before leaving. "Humbug!" Scrooge said to Fred, as Fred closed the door. "Ahem." Metagross asked Scrooge, trying to get Scrooge's attention. But Scrooge just ignored them.
"Now, then, sir, about the… Donation." Metagross asked Scrooge, and that got his attention. "Well, now. Let's see. I know how to treat the poor. My taxes go to pay for the prisons and the poorhouses. The homeless must go there." Scrooge said to everyone, as he led them to the door.
"But some would rather die." Metagross said to Scrooge. "If they'd rather die, then they'd better do it, and decrease the surplus population. This is the door, you may use it." Scrooge said to Metagross, as he opened the door, and gave Metagross and Claydol a mean look.
"Oh, dear. Oh, dear. All right, Claydol, come along. I think we've taken enough of Mr. Scrooge's time. Oh, dear. Deer, dear." Metagross said to Claydol, as he and Claydol ran out of the room.
Then Scrooge slammed the door shut, and everyone went back to work in a panic. The Scrooge ripped the reef off where Fred hanged it, and ripped off.
That's when everyone heard singing and Scrooge opened the door, and found a Bunnelby singing at the door. But the Bunnelby stopped singing once he noticed he was singing to Scrooge.
"What do you want?" Scrooge asked Bunnelby, at his wits end. "Uh… Penny for the song, guvnor?" Bunnelby asked Scrooge. Scrooge just slammed the door on his face, making Bunnebly walk away in defeat.
But inside, Scrooge remembered he was still holding the reef and opened it. Bunnelby turned around thinking Scrooge was going to give him a coin. But all Bunnelby got was a reef to the face. Scrooge then looked at everyone with a scary look, making everyone get back to work.
"That's it. I'm going to teach him to listen." Soren said to everyone, as he moved up to grab Scrooges. But even when Soren grabbed Scrooge, Scrooge easily got out of Soren's grip, like he didn't even notice Soren.
"Hey I'm talking to you!" Soren said to Scrooge, as Scrooge ignored Soren, and got back to work. "You can't ignore me. We need to talk about how much of a bad person you are to the people that's under your care." Soren said to Scrooge, as he jumped onto the desk. But again, Scrooge ignored Soren, making Soren mad.
Drake rolled his eyes. But when he did, Drake noticed that only he, Callum, Ezran, and Abigail were watching Soren, Bob and the Rattatas acted like they didn't even notice.
Curious, Drake waved his hands in front of one of the Rattatas, and nothing happened. Then he slammed his hands on the table, and again nothing happened. Drake then slapped the Rattata's head multiple times, and still nothing.
"Guys, they can't see, feel, or hear us." Drake said to Callum, Ezran, Soren, and Abigail, getting their attention. "What do you mean?" Soren asked Drake. "Watch this." Drake said to Soren.
"YOU STUPID RATTATA, YOUR A WORTHLESS POKEMON. YOUR ONLY USEFUL AS CANNON FATHER. AND EVEN THEN YOU CAN ONLY LAST ONE ATTACK. YOU NOTHING MORE THAN A LIVING TARGET FOR BABY POKEMONS TRAINING." Drake yelled into a Rattata's face, rapidly punching his fist into the table, making a loud bang.
But the Rattata showed no sign of hearing any of that. In fact no one showed any sign of hearing that, not Scrooge, not Bob, not any of the other Rattatas. "See." Drake said to everyone.
"That was a little mean Drake." Ezran said to Drake. "I was trying to get his attention. If he could hear me, then I'm sure he would have done something after that." Drake said to Ezan.
"So then what are we ghosts?" Callum asked everyone. "We can't be, we still feel things and have mass." Abigail said to everyone. "Then are we invisible and they can't hear us?" Ezran asked everyone. "But I just made a lot of bangs that should have caused them to turn their heads at least out of curiosity. So I don't think they can hear anything from us." Drake said to Ezran.
"Then what are we?" Soren asked Drake. "How should I know? This entire thing is crazy. We're here, but not here. We can interact with stuff, but no one notices. And let's not forget that there were Pokemon in a wired book." Drake said to everyone, getting agitated.
"Why don't we all calm down a little." Ezran said to everyone. "Yeah, we're not going to get home by standing around and trying to get people's attention. We just have to get through this story." Abigail said to everyone.
"She's right. So, Drake, what's the next part of the book?" Callum said to everyone, and asked Drake. "One sec." Drake said to Callum, as he opened the book, and flipped through the pages.
"Okay, I got bad news. There's nothing new in the book, the rest is still blank." Drake said to everyone. "Then what's the good news?" Callum asked Drake. "Who said anything about good news? That's it." Drake said to Callum.
"Great, now what do we do?" Soren asked everyone. "Well considering that the story has led us here. We should stay here and wait to see what happens." Drake said to everyone.
"So you want us to hang out here in this freezing room with him?" Callum asked Drake, pointing to Scrooge. "It's not like we have much choice. If we run off we could lose the story and never get home." Drake said to Callum.
"Now let's just get comfortable, and find something to do. Hopefully, the story will start again soon." Drake said to everyone, as they started to take a set and started to do anything they could to pass the time, hoping that the story would start up soon.
But it wasn't soon at all. Drake, Abigail, Ezran, Callum, and Soren watched Bob and the Rattatas working in this harsh work environment long after the sunset, and the longer they were here, their opinion of Scrooge got worse with every passing minute.
With Bob and the Rattatas slowing to a crawl with their work, Bob walked up Scrooge, and cleared his throat, getting Scrooge's attention. "Excuse me, Mr. Scrooge, but it appears to be closing time." Bob said to Scrooge.
"Very well. I'll see you at eight tomorrow morning." Scrooge said to Bob. That's when the Rattatas gathered around Bob, asking him to talk to Scrooge. "Um… Tomorrow's Christmas." Bob said to Scrooge. "8:30, then." Scrooge said to Bob.
"If you please, sir, half an hour off hardly seems customary for Christmas Day." Bob said to Scrooge, with the Rattata agreeing with Bob. "How much time off is customary, Mr. Cratchit?" Scrooge asked Bob. "Um… Why, um, the, er, whole day." Bob said to Scrooge, with the Rattata agreeing with Bob.
"The entire day?" Scrooge asked everyone, with the Rattatas trying to make it sound like it was all Bob's idea. "If you please, why open the office tomorrow? Other businesses will be closed. You'll have no one to do business with. It'll waste a lot of expensive coal for the fire." Bob said to Scrooge, with the Rattata agreeing with Bob.
"It's a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every December the 25th." Scrooge said to everyone, making them think that was a no. "But as I seem to be the only person around who knows that. Take the day off." Scrooge said to everyone, making them cheer with joy.
"Will you stop that?" Scrooge said to everyone, showing his teeth, making them all go quiet, and the Rattatas scattered. "Thank you, Mr. Scrooge." Bob said to Scrooge, as Scrooge started to get ready to leave.
"Be here all the earlier the next morning." Scrooge said to everyone, as he walked out the door. "Good ridden." Soren said to the door. "Should we go after him?" Ezran asked everyone.
That's when the book glowed again. "Wait a second, let's see what's been added." Drake said to everyone, before opening the book and reading the new words.
"With their employer gone at last, Bob Cratchit and the bookkeepers immediately began the most pelaset of activities, the celebration of Christmas." Drake said to everyone. That's when everyone noticed Bob and the Rattatas' mood did a 180 and was all really happy and excited.
"Gentlemen, let's close up for Christmas." Bob said to the Rattatas, as a piano started to play. "Okay, where's that music coming from and who's playing it?" Callum asked, looking around.
"There's magic in the air this evening. Magic in the air. The world is at her best, you know. When people love and care." Bob sang, as he and the Rattatas closed the books and blew out candles.
"The promise of excitement is one the night will keep. After all, there's only one more sleep till Christmas." Bob sang, as they all put their books away. "The world has got a smile. Today, the world has got a glow." Bob sang, as he sweeped the floor, and the Rattatas put out the fire in the fireplace.
"There's no such thing as strangers when a stranger says hello. And everyone is family. We're having so much fun. After all, there's only one more sleep till Chrstmas." Bob sang, as the Rattatas, catapulted each other into the air, grabbing the window screen and bringing them down.
With the window closed, the office was cleaned up, and everyone made their way out, with Drake, Abigail, Ezran, Callum, and Soren sneaking out ahead of everyone. Once everyone was outside, Bob closed the door and locked it.
"Tis the season to be jolly and joyous. With a burst of pleasure, we feel it arrive. It's a season when the saints can employ us to spread the news about peace and to keep love alive." Bob sang, as they all walked through the town, and was stopped by some Eiscue's skating.
"Look, it's the Eiscue's Christmas skating party." Bob said to everyone, as they all stopped and watched the Eiscue skating around on the ice in funny ways. Then Bob ran up and did a pass, making everyone cheer. "You did good, boss." A Rattata said to Bob. "Oh, thank you. Thank you very much." Bob said to the Rattatas, before an Eiscue ended up crashing into him, making everyone laugh in joy.
"Come on, let's try it." Ezran said to everyone, with everyone but Callum agreeing with Ezran. "No way." Callum said to everyone. "Come on, Callum." Soren said to Callum, as he grabbed Callum.
Ezran was first, and he just slid across the ice, waving his hands around like jazz hands. Drake and Abigail were next, and they used each other to jump into the air and spin. Then came Soren, with Callum still in his hands, and spinning around. Thanks to this, Soren crashed into a barrel, and this caused him to throw Callum into it.
Everyone then moved to the barrel, and found an annoyed Callum in it. "Fun, huh?" Soren asked Callum. "No. Now get me out of here." Callum said to everyone.
"Merry Christmas Eiscues." Bob said to the Eiscues, as he and the Rattatas started to leave. The Eiscues waved goodbye to them, as Drake, Abigail, Ezran, Callum, and Soren went after Bob and the Rattatas.
"There's something in the wind today. That's good for everyone. Yes, faith is in our hearts today. We're shining like the sun. And everyone can feel it. The feeling's running deep." Bob sang to the Rattatas, as they walked through town.
"After all, there's only one more sleep till Christmas." Bob sang as the Rattatas left Bob.
"After all, there's only one more sleep. Till Christmas Day." Bob slowly sang, looking at the majestic night sky, before heading home.
Drake, Abigail, Ezran, Callum, and Soren didn't follow Bob immediate, they just sat down on someone's steps, looking at the night sky, with Drake, Abigail, Ezran, and Soren looking at the sky with a happy face, but Callum looking at it with a sad look on his face.
"I gotta say, after spending a day with that mean old Scrooge, this is nice." Abigail said to everyone. "Yeah." Soren said to everyone, before letting out a relaxing sigh. "So, shall we go after Bob?" Soren asked everyone. "Why him?" Drake asked Soren. "Come on, this has to be his story of breaking free of his nasty boss." Soren said to Drake.
"I don't think it is. So far the story has been about Scrooge. And I think we have to follow him." Drake said to Soren. "And watch his cruelty and meanness. No thanks." Soren said to Drake, as the book glowed.
"Sorry Soren, but if we want to go home, we must follow the story." Drake said to Soren, as he opened the book. "And now it has directions written on it." Drake said to everyone. "Any idea to where?" Ezran asked Drake. "Only one way to find out." Drake said, as he started to walk, reading the directions, with everyone following him.
Hello everyone, I hope you like this chapter. Please follow or review if you like this story. And if you're wondering why I made Fred a Cinderace instead of a Incineroar or a Torracat, well mainly because I made his wife a Lopunny and I wanted a positive fire starter to be Fred, so Cinderace was the result.