Equestria Girls: A Christmas Carol

by RNBW

Stave 3 - Ghost of the Present

Author's Note:

The Christmas Comic never happened.

Suddenly, Abacus Cinch sat up in bed, wide awake and breathing heavily. Cinch sighed and looked around her room. The curtains and the window were still and her room was bathed in peaceful darkness. Cinch reached out her hand to turn on the lamp on the bedside table.

Now, Chrysalis's Ghost had warned Cinch that a second spirit would haunt her at the stroke of one. But this time, she was prepared for almost anything. Cinch wished to challenge the spirit on the moment of its appearance and she didn't want to be taken by surprise.

This time, she was ready for almost anything.

The bell of the church stroke One again...

...but Cinch didn't flinch.

She glanced at the window, expecting the arrival of the next spirit.

However, there was no sign of anything.

Five minutes, ten minutes, a quarter of an hour went by, yet nothing came. Nothing was out of place or out of the ordinary.

After a few moments of waiting, Cinch checked her clock, sighed and, with a last look around, turned off the lamp and laid down on her bed. But then a soft light came from outside her door.

'What in the world?' Cinch thought to herself as she climbed out her bed.

She slowly walked over to the door and put her hand on the knob. The moment Cinch's hand was on the knob, a female familiar voice called her by her name.

"Cinch! Come in, Cinch!" the voice bade her to enter.

Cinch recognized the voice. "Miss Lemon Zest?"

With a deep breath, she slowly opened the door. After opening the door, Cinch's eyes widened. Not in fear, but in surprise.

Instead of the hallway of her home, there was a never seen before room. The walls and ceiling were painted in living green, that it looked a perfect grove. Glistening bright gleaming berries were in every part of the walls. The leaves of holly, mistletoe, and ivy reflected back the light, and such a mighty blaze went roaring up the chimney.

Heaped upon the floor, to form a kind of throne, were many kinds of food. Turkeys, poultry, great joints of meat, sucking-pigs, long wreaths of sausages, mince-pies, plum-puddings, cherry-cheeked apples, immense twelfth-cakes and seething bowls of eggnog. On top of a giant throne made of food sat a sixteen years old girl.

Cinch thoughts were right when she recognized the girl.

There was no doubt about it. On top of the giant throne of food, there was Lemon Zest, a student from Crystal Prep and member of the Shadowbolts. However, she was different and by different, she was wearing a green robe bordered with white fur. Her feet were bare, she had a holly wreath on her head and was holding a glowing torch.

"Come in!" Lemon cheerfully said. "Come in and know me better, woman!"

Cinch entered the room with hesitation, but her mind was filled with curiosity.

"Miss Lemon?" she said in confusion.

"I may look like her, but I'm not Lemon Zest," the girl replied with a smile. "I am the Ghost of Christmas Present!"

Cinch nodded in understanding and then she noticed something on the waist of the spirit.

"I can see you posses an scabbard without a sword," she pointed out.

"This?" Present said as she grabbed her scabbard. "It means peace and love."

The ghost climbed out of the throne of food and she held out her hand to her.

She gave her another smile. "Touch my hand."

"Let me guess..." Cinch wondered.

"Yup," Present nodded, the smile never leaving her face.

Cinch did as she was told and instantly, the room and its contents all vanished instantly as Cinch watched in awe. A few moments later, they stood in front of a barn house in a snowy Christmas Eve night.

"I take it they can’t see us," Cinch said as she looked around the new environment.

"Exactly," the ghost confirmed as she began to walk towards the house.

The house was decorated with strings of brightly colored lights around the windows, the top was covered in a soft blanket of snow and there was holly wreath with apples on the front door.

Cinch followed the spirit into the window of the house and once they got there, the two looked inside the house. Cinch furrowed her eyebrows when she saw who where inside.

It was none other than the female students from Canterlot High, or as we know them as the Rainbooms and three girls of about ten years old. However, and much to Cinch's dismay, they were with the Shadowbolts and a blue girl with ponytail that Cinch couldn't recognize.

"She really said that?" Sunset Shimmer asked in surprise.

"Yeah, and she said that Christmas was a humbug," Sunny Flare replied with a frown.

Rarity let out a huff. "Well, shame on her."

"But why she hates Christmas?" the blue girl asked, playing with her hair.

Everyone nodded in agreement with her question.

"I don't know," Sunny sighed. "But she's my mother and I have nothing to say against her."

"After what she did to Twilight, I doubt she will change for the better," Rainbow Dash said.

"She was... Mean," Fluttershy added in her usual quiet tone. "Very mean."

"I don't think she was mean," Sour Sweet softly said, but then her face turned sour. "She was an crazy, old whinny witch!"

Indigo Zap chuckled. "Oh, burn!"

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash chuckled as she high fived Indigo.

"I have no patience with Cinch," Sugarcoat bluntly said.

Applejack nodded. "Me neither."

"Me too," Rainbow said.

"Me three!" Pinkie Pie chimed in with a smile.

"Me four!" the true Lemon Zest cheerfully agreed.

"Me five!" the blue girl added. "Even if I don't know her."

Everybody in the room shared a light hearted laugh at this. But Cinch had a angry scowl on her face.

"How dare they!" she hissed.

Present held up her hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, woman."

"But I have," Sunny spoke up, catching the attention of Cinch.

Everyone stared at her in confusion. "Really?"

"I feel sorry for her. I can't be angry be angry with her even if I tried," Sunny let out a sigh. "Besides, who suffers by her ill whims? Just herself, always. I think The only consequence of her dislike to us is that she loses some pleasant moments which could do her no harm."

"Sorry if I'm breaking the sad atmosphere, but I think you're being charitable, Flare," Rainbow softly said. "I mean, I know is your mother, but she can't resent you or everyone of us just because we are friends. Not to mention her hate to Christmas."

"Rainbow is right dear," Rarity said, placing her hand on Sunny's shoulder.

Suddenly, Pinkie pulled Sunny in a loving hug.

"Cheer up, Flary! You still have us!" Pinkie said, smiling with a squee and turned at the others. "Isn't that right?"

Not soon after, everyone shared a big group hug. It was a joyous occasion for Sunny Flare. Not only for her, but also for everyone else.

Present turned to look at Cinch. "As you can see, even if you disagree with your daughter and hate her friends, she still loves you."

Cinch shook her head in regret and wiped a tear from her eye. "I shouldn't have said those things to her."

"Come on," the ghost said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "There is one more thing I have to show you."

Without a word of warning, Cinch found herself standing outside of an house with Present standing by her side.

"Wait a moment..." Cinch muttered, taking a good glance at the house.

"The house of your dean house," Present finished for her before walking over to the window of the house.

"What's the meaning of this, spirit?" Cinch asked as she followed the ghost.

Present didn't reply. Instead, she simply pointed at the window with a innocent smile which Cinch looked throught it.

Inside of the Twilght residence, Cadence was setting up the dinner table. The table was filled with spaghetti with tomato sauce, roast turkey, roast beef, apple cider and for dessert cream puffs and eclairs.

Cadence mopped the sweat from her forehead. "Phew! Just in time."

Cinch turned away from the window and saw her husband Shining Armor walking towards the house, carrying a female child on his shoulders. The girl had pink skin, her hair was purple and yellow, and her eyes were blue. Also, the girl had a little crutch and had her limbs supported by an iron frame.

Shining and the girl were talking and both seemed very happy. The girl would start coughing, but she would awalys recover and continue to talk to Shining like nothing ever happened. However, Cinch immediately felt bad for the child.

The two entered the house, where Shining was quickly greeted by her wife with a hug.

"Well, where have you been?" Cadence asked playfully.

"Little Skyla wanted to stop by the church," Shining replied with a gentle smile. "I think she likes to visit the church because it's where she can talk to you-know-who who can make her well."

"That's sweet," Cadence softly said, holding back tears.

"Mommy, Auntie Twilight will come?" Skyla innocently asked.

Cadence nodded. "Of course sweetie and Grandma Velvet and Grandpa Night will come too."

"Come on, Skyla, why don't we watch TV while they arrive," Shining gave her daughter a smile.

Skyla nodded in reply before the two headed to the sitting room while Cadence watched with a soft smile.

"Spirit," Cinch began with an interest she had never felt before. "Skyla will survive?"

The ghost burst out laughing at Cinch's question like if it was a joke, holding her sides and rolling her head.

"What's so funny?" Cinch demanded while a cold shiver run down her spine.

Out of nowhere, Present's expression turned serious. Dead serious.

"I can see a vacant seat with a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved," the ghost explained in the most stoic voice that Cinch had ever heard. "If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the child will die."

Suddenly, the two were in a dark chamber surrounded by gears and springs. It looked to be the interior of a clock tower with the time reading 11:59.

"No, no..." Cinch said, shaking her head. "Kind spirit! say she will be spared."

"But Cinch if she dies the surplus population will decrease," Present replied with the same stoic voice.

Cinch felt another cold shiver as the spirit quoted her own words. Suddenly, the ghost hissed in pain as she held her chest in pain and fell to her knees.

"W-What's going on w-with you?" Cinch nervously asked, becoming more fearful.

"My life in this world is very brief," Present weakly said, her eyes, skin and hair becoming pale white. "It ends tonight."

Cinch's body quivered.

Present let out a agonizing bloody murder scream, startling the principal. A few seconds later, her strength failed her and landed face-first on the ground, never to rise again...

And the bell struck twelve....

Comments

[Mystic Solstice]

I'm so excited for the next chapter!

[Phoenixfire Productions]

Skyla... Save Skyla!

[Nightmare mare]

Nooooo not Skyla

[silverMEGAlicorn]

I would probably change a few things from this, just to make it a bit more original, but overall it's pretty good.

[Dimond Rainbow]

damn......... 😐

[Waspinator331]

The bell of the church stroke One again...

The video below is unavailable

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

There was no doubt about it. On top of the giant throne of food, there was Lemon Zest, a student from Crystal Prep and member of the Shadowbolts. However, she was different and by different, she was wearing a green robe bordered with white fur. Her feet were bare, she had a holly wreath on her head and was holding a glowing torch.

She fits the picture perfectly if you ask me.

It was none other than the female students from Canterlot High, or as we know them as the Rainbooms and three girls of about ten years old. However, and much to Cinch's dismay, they were with the Shadowbolts and a blue girl with ponytail that Cinch couldn't recognize.

I'm guessing that girl is sonata probably.

"I don't think she was mean," Sour Sweet softly said, but then her face turned sour. "She was an crazy, old whinny witch!"

That's precisely another way to call Cinch's attitude if you ask me. 😏

Present turned to look at Cinch. "As you can see, even if you disagree with your daughter and hate her friends, she still loves you."

That's family for ya.