//------------------------------//
// Ghost of Christmas Present/ Tiny Tim 
// Story: Equestria Ninja Girls in a Christmas Carol 
// by WarriorofFaith18 
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Scrooge knew that the second ghost was due to appear, yet now, as clock stop striking…

 

Scrooge peered from his bed and looked around his now empty room. All seemed quiet. “Nothing.”

Suddenly, the next room turned on as a big booming voice called to him.

“COME IN! AND KNOW ME BETTER MAN!”

Scrooge cautiously walked in and saw the room filled with so much food.

“COME FORTH! AND KNOW ME BETTER MAN!” Scrooge turned to see a turtle wearing an orange mask, a green robe, and a wreath with candles on his head while carrying a cornucopia light and a horn that he spoke in (Michelangelo). “Wait, did I already say that?”

“You did.” Scrooge deadpanned.

“Okay.” The turtle threw the horn away. The crash itself was enough to wake Gamer up.

“I’m up! I’m up!” he looked around.

“I am the Ghost of Christmas Present. This is the night before the dawn before the day of Christmas! Did I mention that I was the Ghost of Christmas Present?”

“Yes, you did.” Scrooge nodded.

“Come in! and know me better Man!” the spirit chuckled.

“You’re a little absent minded, Spirit.”

“No, I’m a large absent-minded spirit!”

Scrooge couldn’t help but chuckle at the Spirit’s joke.

“My mind is filled with the here and now. And the now is…. Christmas!” The spirit laughed.

“I don’t think I’ve met anyone like you, Spirit.” Scrooge mentioned.

“Nope. Eighteen hundred of my brothers have come before me!”

“Eighteen hundred? Imagine the grocery bills.”

The spirit laughed at Scrooge’s jester before Scrooge looked the food. “Where did all this come from?”

“From the heart, Scrooge! It’s the fruit of generosity, which you have long denied your fellow man.”

“Generosity? Ha!” Scrooge scoffed. “Nobody has ever shown me generosity!”

“You’ve never given them reason to.” The spirit took a mince pie and ate it before belching. “And yet, there are those who still have warmth in their hearts, even for the likes of you!”

“No acquaintance of mine, I assure you.” Scrooge mumbled.

The spirit just laughed. “Have you ever noticed how everything seems wonderful at Christmas?”

Scrooge took a deep breath. “In full honesty, Spirit, no. I never seemed to understand Christmas.”

The spirit patted his shoulder. “Before this day is done, you WILL understand!” 

“Uh oh.” Gamer said just before the Spirit opened the window, knocking him and Charles off the roof.

The spirit took a deep breath. “We shall go out into the world!”

Charles pulled Gamer out from the snow when Karai, who managed to avoid the window and got down in time, walked up to them. “Enjoy your trip?”

“Yeah. It’s fun around fall!” Gamer huffed as Charles dropped him to the ground.

As the Spirit and Scrooge appeared at the town square, the town turned from night to day and people began appearing, enjoying themselves as the Spirit announced. “May I welcome you to Christmas morning!”

They saw two singers (Snips and Snails) singing merrily when the fat one accidently hit a passing by woman (Trixie) with his cymbal. She got up and chased after them as they ran while the spirit began to sing.



During the song, everybody seemed to sing along. Scrooge saw two girls (Sapphire Night and Wallflower Blush) give a wreath to a couple of homeless guys (Leatherhead and Rockwell). A pink haired girl (Fluttershy) sang to a family of mice. Even the police warden (Cranky Doodle) sang with the prisoner (Vallhallen). Soon, everyone was dancing as well as singing.

“It feels like Christmas!” The spirit sang as snow began to fall.

When the song was over, Scrooge was intrigued. “Spirit, I had no idea! I wish to see friends, kin! Show me family!”

Soon, Scrooge and the spirit were in a home as Scrooge saw someone familiar.

“That’s Fred. That’s my nephew Fred! And his wife, Clara!” Scrooge pointed to Fred with a girl with black hair with a purple streak (Angel). They were joined by their friends and their families (Carter, Buffy, Caitlyn, Gabby, Love Shine, and Vernon) as they all took a seat. 

Charles, Karai, and Gamer were watching from behind some furniture as Gamer noticed a fruit bowl beside him.

Fred spoke up. “Alright. We’ve all had the plum pudding, sang the carols. What should we do now, my love?”

“A game, Fred!” Clara perked up.

“Yeah! We must have a game at Christmas.” Carter agreed along with everyone else.

“Do people play games at Christmas?” Scrooge asked the spirit who chuckled.

“I love games!”

Karai turned to see Gamer eating a grape from the bowl. “You do know that fruit is wax right?”

“Would explain the texture.” Gamer spat it out.

Love Shine spoke up. “How about Yes and No?”

“Oh, a wonderful game!” Caitlyn smiled.

Everyone else agreed as Fred smiled. “That’s a wonderful game! I’ll go first!”

“Yes, let Fred be it! He always picks the best ones.” Clara nodded.

“I do have a good one, Clara. Guess.”

Buffy went first. “Is it… a vegetable?”

“No.”

“A mineral?” Clara guessed.

“No.”

“Animal?” Caitlyn asked.

“What else?”

“What else indeed.” Agreed Clara.

“Was it raised on a farm?” Vernon asked.

“Never.”

“In the city?” Clara guessed.

“Usually.”

“Does it pull a handsome chap?” Carter asked.

“Certainly not.”

“How about a dog?” Love Shine guessed.

Fred paused. “Ah…. No.”

“A cat!” Scrooge guessed.

“A cat!” Clara repeated.

“I said it first.” Scrooge argued, forgetting they can’t hear him.

“Nope.”

Clara thought for a second. “Is it an unwanted creature?”

“Often.”

“A mouse!” Gabby guessed.

“No.”

“A rat!” Buffy blurted out.

“No.”

“A cockroach!” Vernon cried.

“No.”

“A leech!” Love Shine cried.

“Too good.”

Clara spoke up. “Wait! An unwanted creature, but not a rat leech or cockroach…”

“What?” Buffy asked.

“What?” Caitlyn repeated.

“What?” Scrooge was equally curious.

“It’s Ebeneezer Scrooge!”

“Yes!”

Everyone cheered and laughed while Scrooge felt put off with what felt like an insult. He was ready to leave before the spirit stopped him.

“I think you should hear this.”

“I don’t want to see no more.” Scrooge moaned before he heard Buffy spoke.

“Yet why do even care for that cruel uncle of yours, Fred?”

Fred’s smile faded as he explained. “It was because of my late mother Fan. Uncle Scrooge loved her more than life itself. She brought him love and joy when he had non in his heart. Now that she is gone, I try to do the same. Despite what everyone thinks, I believe he still has kindness and joy in him, even if he cannot see it himself. And I will never lose hope that he will find it one day.”

His guests clapped at his speech and Clara gave him a kiss. The spirit grinned at Scrooge.

“How do you like that? You know, you really should appreciate your nephew more.”

Scrooge trembled remembering Fanny. “All he does is remind me of Fanny, and what I lost!”

“You can't keep living in the past, dude. You gotta move on and enjoy the here and now. And speaking of moving on...” The spirit lead Scrooge through the wall.

Scrooge noticed they were in a small part of town. “Why are we in this part of town?”

“It’s Christmas here too, you know.” The Spirit then pointed to a nearby shack. “That is the home of your overworked, under paid employee, Bob Cratchit.”

Perhaps it was the Spirit’s own generous nature and sympathy towards poor men that led them to the home Scrooge’s faithful clerk.

 

As Charles and Karai climbed to the roof with a chimney sweep, Gamer looked down and sniffed the chimney.

“I think they’re cooking goose down there.” He guessed. “Either that or it’s chicken.”

“Step aside please.” Charles said as he began to sweep.

Scrooge turned to the Spirit. “This is Bob Cratchit’s house?”

“How’d you know that?” The Spirit raised a brow.

“You told me.”

“Well, I’m usually trustworthy.” The spirit said smugly.

They looked through the window. Scrooge saw a light purple skinned woman wearing glasses preparing dinner (Twilight Sparkle) while humming. “Who’s that?”

“Mrs. Cratchit, of course.”

Mrs. Cratchit, or Emily, turned to a young boy with blue skin and brown hair (Lancer) turning the spit where the goose was cooking. “It’s looking good, Peter. Keep it up. Just a couple more spins and the goose will be ready when your father and Tiny Tim get home.”

Peter grunted as he turned the spit. “It smells so good, Mommy.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” a small purple dog salivated in front of the stove (Spike), eyeing the goose.

“Oh Spike.” Emily chuckled as she petted him.

Back on the roof, Gamer sniffed the chimney and was really close. “Yeah, that’s definitely Goose- OOF!”

Charles and Karai turned to see Gamer had fallen in the chimney and got stuck.

“Gamer!” Karai gasped.

“Oh, good grief.” Charles mumbled. 

“Hey! I’m stuck! Get me out of here!”

“Mom has told you to lay off the root beer!” Charles called to him before turning to Karai. “Grab a hold and on the count of three we push him through.”

Karai nodded and they both held the sweep in the pipe Gamer was stuck in.

“One. Two. THREE!”

Together, they pushed Gamer through as he fell through the chimney.

“Whew, least I landed on something soft.” He looked down to see he was on the spit with the goose. “And hot!” he yelped jumping up and down.

“Belinda! Petina!” Emily called as two girls (Melody Note and Sweetheart) hurried downstairs. “Come set the table. Your father will be home soon.”

“Yes, mother.” Belinda said as she and Petina hurried to the table while Emily saw Spike just about to steal a chestnut.

“Spike! You know the rules! No eating the chestnuts until Bob and Tiny Tim get home!”

Spike chuckled sheepishly as he slowly backed away.

Just then, a pink haired girl in a turquoise dress (Fluttershy) entered. “Merry Christmas, mother!”

“Martha!” Emily hugged her as the children cheered. “I was afraid you wouldn’t make it!”

“I’m so glad I could.” Martha smiled.

“Your father and Tiny Tim will be home soon. Seeing you here will be a great surprise for them both.”

“I will go hide to contain the excitement.” Martha hid in the closet.

Scrooge and the spirit saw coming up to the house was Bob Cratchit himself. On his shoulder was a small boy carrying a crutch (Pipsqueak) who had to have been Tiny Tim. They were both singing a little jig together and having fun together. When they arrived at the house, Cratchit set his son down.

“C’mon, son, let’s go see if Christmas dinner is ready.”

“Coming, Father.” Tim smiled.

As They entered, Charles and Karai snuck in the house before the door closed.

“Merry Christmas, everyone!” Cratchit announced.

“Daddy!” Patina and Belinda cheered as they ran and hugged their father.

“Merry Christmas, girls. Merry Christmas, Peter.”

“Merry Christmas.” Peter greeted.

Tiny Tim was greeted by Spike who licked his cheek. “Merry Christmas, boy!”

Emily walked up. “Okay, everyone! Let’s go wash up for dinner!”

“Wait for me!” Tiny Tim cheered as he followed his siblings.

Emily hugged her husband. “Merry Christmas, Bob.”

“Merry Christmas, Emily.” Cratchit hugged her back before asking. “Any word from Martha?”

Emily pretended to be sad. “I’m afraid she couldn’t make it today.”

“Aw! That’s too bad. I was really looking forward to her visit.” Cratchit took off his hat and scarf and went to hang them in the closet. He opened the door when-

“Merry Christmas, Father!” Cratchit chuckled as he was greeted by a hug from Martha.

“Martha! You made it! Merry Christmas!”

Charles and Karai finally found Gamer cooling his feet.

“You alright?” Karai asked.

“I fell through the chimney and landed on a hot goose!”

Charles shrugged. “Could’ve been worse. You could’ve landed on the fire.”

“Not wrong there.” Gamer agreed.

Meanwhile, Tiny Tim got excited as he made his way to the table. “The dinner! The goose! Oh boy!” suddenly, he began cough heavily as Cratchit and Emily hurried over to him.

“Oh No! Dear! Dear, you got too excited. Go- go sit in your chair, Son.” Emily instructed him. As Tiny Tim went to his chair, Emily turned to Cratchit. “How was he in church?”

“As good as gold.” Cratchit smiled a little.

Emily held a tear back. “Sometimes I lose hope he’ll ever get better.”

“Tim has the hope. And the faith. He told me on the way home from church that he hoped everyone saw him there because it would be pleasant for them on Christmas Day to remember who made lame beggars walk and blind men see.”

“A remarkable child.” Scrooge awed.

And with that, the Cratchits came to what was surely the happiest single moment all the live long year.

 

Scrooge noticed they had hardly any food for their feast. “Such a meager feast.”

“But very much appreciated.” The Spirit shrugged.

“I pay Bob such a small amount.”

Cratchit then lifted his glass. “To Mr. Scrooge.”

“Bob? Bob Cratchit.” Scrooge entered the home, fazing through the door as Cratchit continued.

“It only seems fair that I raise my glass to my employer. I give you Mr. Scrooge the founder of the feast!”

Emily frowned. “The founder of the feast indeed! If he was here right here, I’d give him a piece of my mind! And I bet he’d choke on it!”

“Emmy. The children. Christmas day.” Cratchit gritted his teeth, still smiling.

Emily sighed. “I suppose on this blessed day of Christmas, that I will drink to the health of Mr. Scrooge, even though he is odious, stingy, wicked, unfeeling, and badly dressed!”

Scrooge frowned at Emily’s words before Tiny Tim spoke up. “To the founder of the feast! Mr. Scrooge!”

Emiliy gave up. “To Mr. Scrooge.”

“May he be merry and happy this day, I have no doubt.” Spike mumbled.

“God bless us. Everyone.” Tiny Tim smiled as he began to sing.



At the end of the song, Tiny Tim began to cough again while Emily rubbed his back.

“Oh, there there. Let’s have dinner.” And they all began to have their dinner.

Scrooge was deeply moved by Tiny Tim’s song. He turned to the spirit. “Spirit. Tell me if Tiny Tim will live?”

“That is the future. My realm is in the present. But… I see an empty chair by the chimney place and a crutch without an owner. If these shadows remain unaltered, the boy will die.” The spirit then scoffed. “But, if he’s going to die, then he better do it. And decrease the surplus population! Am I right?”

Scrooge was shocked to hear his own words. “Oh Spirit.”

The Spirit placed his hand on Scrooge’s shoulder. “Come.”

As the Cratchits vanished into the darkness, Scrooge kept his eye on Tiny Tim until the very last. As they walked the streets again, something caught Scrooge’s eye. 

Scrooge then noticed something and spoke sounding uneasy, "Spirit, forgive me, but I see something beneath your cloak. Is it a foot? Or a claw?"

"It might as well be a claw, dude," the ghost replied. "But here's a lesson you should heed." The spirit pulled open his robe and Scrooge saw two dirty and ragged children (Shark and Cozy Glow) clinging to his legs. The very sight of them made Scrooge nervous.

"Spirit, are they yours?" He asked, getting scared.

"They are man's," the ghost answered warily. "This boy is Ignorance. And the girl is Want. Beware them both, but most of all, beware the boy!"

"But have they no refuge?" Scrooge asked. "No resource?"

"Like those charity workers you refused to help?" The spirit reminded him.

Ignorance suddenly stood up and snarled, "Are there no prisons?!" He swung a knife around until he suddenly found himself in a cage.

Want then circled around Scrooge, "Are there no work houses?!" A strain jackets appeared and wrapped itself tightly around her.

The two howled in maddening laughter before they vanished in the fog.

“Come. My time grows short.” The spirit led Scrooge to a graveyard, looking older with hair and skinny arms and legs as Scrooge noticed.

“Spirit, do you grow old?”

“I do.” The spirit chuckled then sat down on a bench.

“Are spirits’ lives short?” Scrooge asked.

“My time on this globe is very brief. I believe it will end at the stroke of twelve.”

Up by the bell tower, Gamer pulled the chain to the bell as he counted each ring while Charles and Karai watched. Scrooge gasped as the bells. “Now? But Spirit, I have learned so much from you.”

Nothing Scrooge could do or say could stop the march of the terrible bells.

 

“Oh Spirit. Do not leave me!” Scrooge begged.

“I think that I must in fact.” The spirit said as he began to twinkle and fade away.

“You have made so much to me. You have changed me!”

“And now, I leave you with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.” The spirit sighed.

“You mean the future?” Scrooge gulped. “Must I?”

The spirit grinned one last time before he completely disappeared. “Go forth! And know him better man. BOOYAKASHA!”

With the spirit gone, Scrooge held his eyes shut, unaware a fog was surrounding him.

To Be Continued