An Equestria Girls Christmas Carolby DraconaquestChaptersThe Sick and The PoorScrooge's OfficeMarley's 'Ghost'The Ghost of Christmas PastThe Ghost of Christmas PresentThe Ghost of Christmas Yet to ComeA Charity DonationAn Odd GuestPrologueChristmas MorningThe End of ItThe Sick and The PoorSUNSET SHIMMER It all began on November 13th. Winter had come early, and the ground was covered in snow. The janitor had gotten there early and shoveled the snow, revealing the concrete. The statue was white in snow, and the air was freezing. But, despite the freezing air, I was still in a good mood. After all, lately, winter had been a good time for me lately. My friends were kind and caring, which certainly gave me something to look forward to. Unfortunately, the day would only get worse. Just like every morning, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and I, were waiting for Applejack around the statue in front of the school. But, when Applejack got here, she looked sad. Her head hung down, as she looked at her feet. "Applejack, are you all right?" I asked her as she walked up. She shook her head. "Is something wrong?" Applejack nodded. "Can you tell us?" Applejack straightened and gulped. "Applebloom is sick." She stuttered. "Sicker than I've ever seen in my life. And we can't afford any medicine." "But, what about the orchard?" Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack sat down next to the statue. "I haven't told you this, but...uh...y'all remember the storms we had over the summer?" We all said some variant of 'yes.' "Well, ya see," Applejack explained. "Those storms destroyed the crop, killing anything we had for money. We've been surviving on any leftover money we had from that cider competition." We all sat down next to Applejack. "Do you have a job?" Rarity asked. "I got the only one available." Applejack said. "I have to work as a clerk for a new man in town. He's a British man named Ebenezer Scrooge. I'm going to have to skip our meetings after school for this job. And, now that Applebloom is sick, we'll need all the money we can get." "Oh, Applejack, I'm so sorry." I said. We all tried to comfort her, without success, throughout the day. And, just like she said she would, Applejack left right after school to go to her new job." The next day brought just as much remorse. When Applejack arrived, she had plenty of things to say about Mr. Scrooge. None of them good. "You would not believe how mean Mr. Scrooge is!" Applejack exclaimed. "He was cruel and barely even paid me! Without enough money, I don't think we'll be able to survive!" She slunk down and put her head in her arms. "Couldn't you just find a better job?" Rainbow Dash asked. "No, I can't." Applejack sobbed. "No one else would hire me, 'cause I'm still in school. Scrooge even said the only reason he hired me is because he couldn't find anyone else!" Just like before, we tried to comfort her with no avail, and like yesterday, she left right after school. These events went on for about a while, and Applebloom only got worse. After Thanksgiving, I called everyone (except Applejack, because she had to work) to the library to talk about the events. "I wish Applejack could hang out with us again." Pinkie Pie said, playing with a yo-yo. "It does get boring when one of us isn't here." Rainbow Dash said, who was playing a computer game. "I just hope Applebloom get's better." Fluttershy said also. "That's why we're here." I said, and walked over to a computer. "I have a plan, but we need to do some research on Scrooge first." "Why?" Rarity asked, walking over. "What is your plan?" "I'll tell you after we do research." I replied. I looked Scrooge up, and found a page on him. Everyone else walked over and looked at the computer. I looked his page and noticed a picture of a girl, that looked similar to Rainbow Dash. "It seems he had a partner named Sarah Marley." I pulled up the picture. "Had a partner?" Rarity asked. "Yeah, it seems like she died nearly seven years ago." I said. "She looks a little like you, Rainbow." "Remind me to check my family tree." Dash replied. "He has a lot of history, but that's a good thing." I said, scrolling down the page. "How is it a good thing?" Fluttershy asked. "Well, my plan might just be able to make Scrooge a better person." I explained. "It's questionable, at best, but I have a feeling that it will better in the long run. It will take a lot to make it work, and we'll need a lot of people in on it, including Applejack, but it will be worth it." "Well let's here it!" Rainbow said excitedly. Scrooge's OfficeAPPLEJACK Sunset's plan was farfetched beyond belief, but I needed it to work, for Applebloom's sake. Working in Scrooge's office wasn't fun at all, and a barely paid, but I hope that Sunset's plan will change that. Today was Christmas Eve, and the most remarkable thing happened. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, came in for a visit. He stormed in, with a massive grin on his face, and a Christmas Wreath in his hand. He shouted in a cheerful voice, "Merry Christmas Uncle! God save you!" "Bah!" said Scrooge, "Humbug!" He barely even looked up from his desk. "Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure." "Oh, I mean it!" Scrooge replied. "Bah, 'Merry Christmas!' What right have you to be merry? You're poor enough!" "What right have you to be dismal?" Fred asked. "You're rich enough." Scrooge face scrunched up in anger, and he shouted "Bah! Humbug!" "Don't be cross, Uncle!" Fred said. "What else can I be," returned the uncle, "when I live in such a world of fools as this? Merry Christmas! Out upon merry Christmas! What's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not a dolor richer; a time for balancing your books and having every item in 'em through a round dozen of months presented dead against you? If I could work my will," said Scrooge indignantly, "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be cooked with his own turkey, and buried with a stake through his heart!" "Uncle!" Fred pleaded. "Nephew!" Scrooge snapped. "Keep Christmas in your way, and I'll keep it in mine!" "But, you don't keep it." Fred said. "Let me leave it alone, then," said Scrooge. "Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!" "There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say," returned the nephew. "Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -- apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that -- as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a single dolor in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!" I probably shouldn't have, but I applauded. Once I realized what I was doing, I immediately stopped, and got back to writing. "Let me hear another sound from you, Applejack," said Scrooge, "and you'll keep your Christmas by losing your employment." Scrooge turned to his nephew. "You're a powerful speaker, sir," Scrooge told Fred. "Perhaps, you should go into government." "Come, Uncle, dine with Clara and me tomorrow." Fred asked. Scrooge rolled his eyes. "Why, ever did you get married?" "Because you fell in love." Scrooge repeated. "Love is a disease. It requires care and attention, like a sick child! It makes you spend every hour of the day taking care of it! Love, is for fools!" "Nay, uncle, but you never came to see me before that happened. Why give it as a reason for not coming now?" "Good afternoon," said Scrooge. "I want nothing from you; I ask nothing of you; why cannot we be friends?" "Good afternoon," said Scrooge. "I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. We have never had any quarrel, to which I have been a party. But I have made the trial in homage to Christmas, and I'll keep my Christmas humor to the last. So A Merry Christmas, uncle!" "Good afternoon," said Scrooge. "And A Happy New Year!" "Good afternoon!" said Scrooge Fred hung the Wreath on a hook, and stopped by me and wished me a Merry Christmas, to which a responded by giving him a Merry Christmas as well. I heard Scrooge mumbling something, but I couldn't make it out. However, now the first part of the plan was in motion. There was a knock on the door, and Rarity walked in. She glanced at me and then walked toward Scrooge. "Hello, I'm Rarity, from the Celestial House of Charity. Do I have the pleasure of addressing Mr. Scrooge or Ms. Marley?" "Ms. Marley has been dead these seven years," Scrooge replied. "She died seven years ago, this very night." "Oh, well, I'm sorry." Rarity said. "But, to my point, in this festive time of the year, we try to give food and warmth to those who need it, and I was hoping you might be able to make a donation." She pulled out a pen and notebook. "What may I put you down for?" "Are there no prisons?" Scrooge asked. "Plenty of prisons." Rarity said. "Are the workhouses still in operation?" Scrooge asked. "Yes, though I wish I could say they were not." Rarity said. "Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course," said Scrooge. "I'm very glad to hear it." "Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude," returned Rarity, "a few of us are endeavoring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?" "You wish to remain anonymous?" Rarity asked. "I wish to be left alone," said Scrooge. "Since you ask me what I wish, Rarity of Charity, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned -- they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there." Rarity gasped. "But, some would rather die!" "Then if they would rather die than they'd better do it!" Scrooge snapped. "And decrease the surplus population!" "Ugh!!!" Rarity gasped. "How can you say something like?!" "Simple, by moving my vocal chords!" Scrooge said smugly. "Well, Mr. Scrooge, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!" Rarity shouted, knowing that would annoy him. She stomped toward the door, opened it shouted, "Good day!" and slammed the door as she walked out. A few minutes later, a voice singing Good King Wenceslas was outside. Scrooge opened the door to find it was Sunset who was singing. She stopped at soon as she saw him. "What do you want?" Scrooge asked angrily. "Uh..." Sunset said, scratching the back of her head. "Any money to spare, sir?" Scrooge slammed the door in her face. He spotted the Christmas Wreath, and snatched it. He opened the door, and threw the Wreath at her, causing her to collapse. When it pushed closing time, he said to me, "You'll want all day tomorrow, I suppose?" "If convenient, sir." I said. "It's not convenient!" Scrooge yelled. "And it's not fair! You expect me to pay you for no work, but when I pay myself for no work, you don't find me ill-used!" "It's...uh...only once a year." I pointed out. "A poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every twenty-fifth of December!" said Scrooge, buttoning his great-coat to the chin. "But I suppose you must have the whole day. Be here all the earlier next morning." "Yes sir!" I said, and once Scrooge left, I left too. I walked over to the alleyway. Sunset, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were there waiting. Rainbow's hair was dyed a light blue, and she was wearing a long light blue dress. "You okay?" I asked Sunset, who was holding an ice pack to her forehead. "I'm okay, just a headache." Sunset said. "You weren't kidding, when you said how terrible Scrooge is!" Rarity said. "Yeah, he's really terrible." I said. "Anyway," Rainbow Dash began, "Applejack, you need to get home." She turned to Sunset, "And we need to beat Scrooge home." "Yeah." Sunset said. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone. She pressed some button's and looked up. "Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie are there already. They say they have the projector set up. You ready?" "I was born ready!" Rainbow said. And I went home, as Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Sunset went to Scrooge's house. I hoped they were ready for Marley's ghost. Marley's 'Ghost'RAINBOW DASH Scrooge's house was an old, run down mansion surrounded by a black fence. The yard was covered in snow, and the door was wood, with a small knocker that looked similar to a face. Sunset, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and I, were in an alley just off the house. I had had my hair dyed temporarily to get the look we were going for. "Is the projector set up?" Sunset asked, peeking around the corner. "Yep!" Pinkie said, smiling. "Good, because Scrooge is coming now." Sunset said, and pulled back into the alley. She still had an icepack from the wreath Scrooge threw at her. Scrooge walked up to his door, and reached for his key. "Fire up the projector." Sunset whispered. Pinkie turned it on, and slowly, the knocker transformed into Marley's face, which ,of course, looked just like my face. Scrooge looked up and then was startled so much, that he fell onto the icy ground. I couldn't help chuckling a bit. "Turn it off." Sunset said. Pinkie turned off the projector. Scrooge looked up, and saw that the knocker was back to normal. He muttered, "Humbug," and entered his home. "So what's the next part of the plan?" I asked. "It's your turn Rainbow. You have to act as Marley's ghost." Sunset explained. "I hope your up for it." "I am, I'm just not sure about these chains." I said. Rarity had began to put chains on the dress I was wearing. "You read the script we gave you, right?" Sunset asked. "Yeah." I replied. "Then you know why they're there." Sunset said. "Anyway, we think Scrooge left his door unlocked. It's time you go in. Good luck." Upon entering Scrooge's home, I felt a chill down my spine. Applejack told me that Scrooge liked the cold, but it was colder inside, than it was outside. I knew what I was supposed to do, and I didn't know weather to be nervous or happy. After all, it could be fun to scare Scrooge's socks off. I went up the stairs to the second floor. Scrooge was sitting in his chair, eating a loaf of bread. He was wearing a thick, light brown dressing gown, and a very light pink night cap. A bell on the side of the wall, soon rang for about five seconds. I guess that was my cue. I walked up the stairs, moaning to try and sound creepy. I guess it worked, because as soon as Scrooge spotted me, he jumped out of his chair, dropping his bread on the floor, and said nervously, "What do you want with me?!" "Much." I said. I little cheap for a line, but hey it worked. "Who are you?" Scrooge asked. "Ask me who I was." I replied. "Who were you then?" Scrooge asked. "In life, I was your partner, Sarah Marley." I replied. "It looks like you, but I don't believe it." Scrooge said. That wasn't a good sign. "Why do you doubt senses?" I asked. "Because," said Scrooge, "a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheat. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!" "More of gravy than a grave!" I shouted, laughing. "What a terrible pun, where do you come up with those?" "Why do you wear those chains?" Scrooge asked. "I forged these chains in life." I explained. "You wear such a chain, yourself. In fact, yours is likely longer than mine, since you've been living longer than me." "No, speak comfort to me Sarah!" Scrooge pleaded. "I have none to give." I said. "Then, why are you here?" Scrooge asked. "I bring a warning." I replied. "Tonight you will be haunted three spirits." "Couldn't I see then all at once, at get it over with!" Scrooge asked. "No!!!" I shouted. A little dramatic? Maybe. Do I care? Not really. "You will see the first one when the bell tolls one! The second will appear at the stroke of two! And the third will appear shortly after." I began to walk way. "No, Sarah!" Pleaded Scrooge. "Do not leave me!" "Silence, Scrooge!" I shouted. "When the bell tolls one!" I ran down the stairs and back outside. "So how'd it go?" Sunset asked, upon seeing me. She still had the icepack to her forehead. "I think it went well." I replied. "Now, I have to was this dye out of my hair. I like rainbows better than light blue." The Ghost of Christmas PastFLUTTERSHY "Do I really have to do this?" I asked. I wasn't sure about being a ghost of Christmas past. And, according to Sunset, I had a lot to do. But, she also said that other people would be doing a lot of the work, so I guess I could do it. "Come on Fluttershy, your the perfect choice." Pinkie Pie reassured. "Actually, you're the only choice." Sunset said, who was no longer wearing the icepack. "Rainbow Dash was the only one who could be Marley, and you're the only other one who will be able to fly." "I'm still not sure about doing this." I said. "Fluttershy we need you. Applejack needs you." Sunset said. "I...I guess I can do it." I said. "Great." Sunset said. "It's nearly one. Fly into Scrooge's window and wait for the clock to strike." "Okay." I said. It's a good thing that Sunset was able to figure out how to channel the magic of friendship. It allows us to have wings and tails when we want. I waited near Scrooge's window for the stoke of one. When the clock did strike one, I enter Scrooge's room. He peeked out of his bed curtains, saw me, and asked, "Are you the Spirit, ma'am, whose coming was foretold to me?" "I am." I replied. "Who, and what are you?" Scrooge demanded. "I am the Ghost of Christmas Past." "Long Past?" inquired Scrooge. "No, your past." I walked to the window and opened it. Scrooge looked at me, then at the window. "I am mortal," Scrooge remonstrated, "and liable to fall." "A touch of my hand, and you shall fly." I said. I held out my hand, and Scrooge took it. We flew out the window, and I carried him. There was a light on the horizon. "Spirit," Scrooge asked. "What is that light? It cannot be dawn." "It is the Past." I replied. I covered Scrooge's eyes to make sure that he thought we were going into the past. I landed in the courtyard of the school that we had made to look like Scrooge's. Students were running around, playing tag and having snowball fights. Scrooge looked around. "Good heavens." He said. "This is my old school, I was a boy here. Hello boys. Hello." "Were are but ghosts to them. They can neither see nor hear us. Let us go inside. "I said. We entered the school. I have to give it to Sunset, she did an awfully good job building this school in such a short time. It looked just like the real thing. We entered a classroom, and saw a boy sitting there. Two other boys entered the classroom. "Come on Ebenezer!" The first boy shouted. "Come out and have a Christmas snowball fight with us!" "Oh, you know he doesn't care about it." The other boy said, and they left the classroom. While they were leaving, Ebenezer shouted, "Who cares about stupid, old, Christmas!" "I was often alone." The older Scrooge said. "I didn't have many friends, nor did I want to. I didn't even want to get to know anyone for many years." "Speaking of that." I covered Scrooge's eyes again, and I headed for the next building Sunset made. Upon arrival, I removed my hand from Scrooge's eyes, and he then said with glee, "It's Fezziwig's Rubber Chicken Factory! I was an apprentice here!" We entered the building and saw that there was a party going on. Fezziwig was dancing with his wife to the party music. When it ended, a young man approached Fezziwig. "That's me!" Scrooge said, happily. The young Ebenezer said to Fezziwig, "Sir, do you realize how much money is being spent on this party?" Fezziwig rolled his eyes. "Oh, come Ebenezer, it's Christmas!" Fezziwig said. "Who cares about how much money we spend?" His eyes wondered a bit, and then widened and shouted. "Ah, Belle! Come here!" A girl walked over, with light brown braided hair. "Belle, I'd like to introduce you to Ebenezer Scrooge, my apprentice, and Ebenezer, this is Belle, a friend of the Fezziwig family." Ebenezer kissed her hand and said, "It's great to meet you, ma'am." I looked at the older Scrooge. "This is when you wanted to get to know someone, isn't it?" I asked. "Yes." Scrooge said. "It's a shame." "Come, let us see the final Christmas you must see." I said. "It's the Christmas of your parting." "Oh, please do not show me that Christmas." Scrooge pleaded. Never the less, I guided Scrooge to a park, where we saw the younger Ebenezer sitting on a bench with Belle. "It matters little," she said, softly. "To you, very little. Another idol has displaced me; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, as I would have tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve." "What Idol has displaced you?" he rejoined. "A golden one." "This is the even-handed dealing of the world!" he said. "There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty; and there is nothing it professes to condemn with such severity as the pursuit of wealth!" "You fear the world too much," she answered, gently. "All your other hopes have merged into the hope of being beyond the chance of its sordid reproach. I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master-passion, Gain, engrosses you. Have I not?" "What then?" he retorted. "Even if I have grown so much wiser, what then? I am not changed towards you." She shook her head. "Am I?" "Our contract is an old one. It was made when we were both poor and content to be so, until, in good season, we could improve our worldly fortune by our patient industry. You are changed. When it was made, you were another man." "I was a boy," he said impatiently. "Your own feeling tells you that you were not what you are," she returned. "I am. That which promised happiness when we were one in heart, is fraught with misery now that we are two. How often and how keenly I have thought of this, I will not say. It is enough that I have thought of it, and can release you." "Have I ever sought release?" "In words? No. Never." "In what, then?" "In a changed nature; in an altered spirit; in another atmosphere of life; another Hope as its great end. In everything that made my love of any worth or value in your sight. If this had never been between us," said Belle, looking mildly, but with steadiness, upon him; "tell me, would you seek me out and try to win me now? Ah, no!" Ebenezer seemed to yield to the justice of this supposition, in spite of himself. But he said with a struggle," You think not?" "I would gladly think otherwise if I could," she answered, "Heaven knows. When I have learned a Truth like this, I know how strong and irresistible it must be. But if you were free to-day, to-morrow, yesterday, can even I believe that you would choose a dowerless girl -- you who, in your very confidence with her, weigh everything by Gain: or, choosing her, if for a moment you were false enough to your one guiding principle to do so, do I not know that your repentance and regret would surely follow? I do; and I release you. With a full heart, for the love of him you once were." He was about to speak; but with her head turned from him, she resumed. "You may -- the memory of what is past half makes me hope you will -- have pain in this. A very, very brief time, and you will dismiss the recollection of it, gladly, as an unprofitable dream, from which it happened well that you awoke. May you be happy in the life you have chosen." She left him, and they parted. I flew Scrooge back to his home, entered through the window, and set him down. "Spirit," He said, "Leave me, I will not forget what you have taught me, just let me be." I then left Scrooge and landed in the alley. "Did it go well?" Sunset asked. "I think so, but I'm not entirely sure." I said. "Well no matter what happened, let's hope that it worked." Sunset said. She turned to Pinkie, who was wearing an emerald dress "It looks like it's time for the ghost of Christmas Present." "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" Pinkie shouted jumping up and down. The Ghost of Christmas PresentPINKIE PIE It was fun setting up all the decorations inside Scrooge's room. It was difficult without waking Scrooge, but it was still fun. His room was decorated with all kinds of fruit and lights. At the stroke of two, I turned on the lights, opened his bed curtains and began to wake him. "Wake up sleepy head! It's time to get up!" Scrooge turned to look at me. "Are you the second spirit who's coming was foretold?" "Maybe..." I said. I jumped into a chair and said, "Now wake up, and know be better!" "I've never met anyone like you." Scrooge said sitting up. "Never? Not even any of my brothers or sisters?" I asked. "Have you had many siblings?" Scrooge asked. "Not many. Just a little over two-thousand." I said, grinning. "Two-thousand?" Scrooge said surprised. "Imagine the grocery bills." We both laughed. I stood up and said. "Have you ever noticed how things are always amazing and cheerful at Christmas?" Scrooge's smile faded. "Honestly, Spirit, no." "Well then, let's go downstairs!" I ran to the staircase and slid down the railing. I opened the door and sniffed the air. It smelled like cake. I had to give it to Sunset, she was certainly able to make it look like morning. Scrooge stepped outside and I led him to the next street and said, "Welcome, Ebenezer, to Christmas morning!" People were out having fun, and enjoying themselves. Some were caroling, some were eating, and some were just enjoying themselves. It was so heart warming I couldn't help but singing. "Tis the singing of the street corner choir" Scrooge then put his hand over my mouth. "Hey, what gives?" I asked. "No offense, spirit," Scrooge explained, "but I'd like to get on with out journey." "Well why didn't you just say so?" I asked. "What do you want to see first?" "Um...kin!" Scrooge decided. "Family! Show me what they are doing today!" I led Scrooge into a small home. Inside were Scrooge's nephew, Fred, and his wife, Clara. Along with them were some friends. "Come on Fred, give us an idea!" "What are they playing?" Scrooge asked. "I think it's yes and no." I replied. "Well, I have got one." Fred said. And then people began shouted answers. "Plant?" "No." "Mineral?" "No." "Animal ,then." "What else?" "Does it live on a farm." "No." "Does it live in the city?" "Often." "Is it a wanted creature?" "Certainly not." "Dog!" "No." Even Scrooge shouted "Cat!" Then Clara shouted, "Cat!" "I said it first." Scrooge said. "No." Fred said. "Mouse?" "Oh, too cute." "Leech?" "Too kind." "Wait, I think I have it." Clara shouted. "It's an animal that lives in the city, isn't wanted, and isn't a cat, a mouse, or a leech? It's your Uncle Scrooge!" "Yes!" Fred shouted. Scrooge's smile faded. "No more, spirit. I wish to see no more." I led him out of the house and to a small street in the west of town. "Why have you brought us here?" Scrooge asked. "This is the home of your clerk, Applejack" I replied. Scrooge walked in, to the Apple Family making dinner. "Big Mac! Can you get the table set up?" Granny Smith shouted. "Yep." Big Macintosh replied. "I cannot wait to see the look on Applejack's face when she realizes that your here Braeburn." Granny Smith said. "Neither can I." Braeburn replied. "You think Applebloom's doin' okay?" "I wish I knew. The doctors say that they can't figure out what's wrong with her." Granny Smith said. "I just hope she gets better." Braeburn said. "Hey Big Mac! Is Applejack coming yet?" Big Mac peeked through the blinds, and said. "Yep." "Quick Braeburn hide!" Granny shouted. Braeburn hid behind a door, just as Applejack entered with Applebloom. "Hey y'all." Applejack said, removing her scarf. "Is Braeburn here?" "Nope." Big Mac said. "He called and said he couldn't be here." Granny Smith said. "Aw, that's too bad." Applejack said. "Just messing with you!" Braeburn shouted and entered the room. "Oh, Braeburn, you made it!" Applejack said with glee. "Come on, let's eat dinner." Applebloom said. Her voice was scratchy, like when you have a virus. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Applebloom had. "Of course." Applejack said. Granny pulled Applejack aside, and asked, "How'd she behave at church?" "As good as gold and better." Applejack said. "And, I think that she gets stronger everyday." They sat down at the table and prayed. "And God bless us." Applejack finished. "God bless us, everyone." Applebloom said. Applejack lifted her glass. "I'd like to propose a toast," She said. "to Mr. Scrooge, the founder of the feast!" "Founder of the feast." Granny Smith said sarcastically. "I wish he were here, for I'd give him something to feast on, and he'd better hope he had the appetite for it!" "Uh, Granny, it's Christmas." Applejack said. "Fine!" Granny Smith shouted. "I'll toast to Mr. Scrooge, for your sake, Applejack, not for his! Long health to him, even if he is a stingy, greedy, selfish..." "To Mr. Scrooge, the founder of the feast!" Applebloom shouted. "To Mr. Scrooge." Granny Smith said, giving in. As Applejack began to carve the goose, Scrooge asked me, "Spirit, tell me if Applebloom will live." "That is the future, my realm is the present." I said, "But, however, I do see an empty chair in the corner, carefully preserved. If these events remain unchanged, the child will die. Come, my time grows short." I led Scrooge to a graveyard with a clock tower to my left. "Why have you led me here?" Scrooge asked. "This is where I leave you." I said. I may have had tears in my eyes. "But, I've learned so much from you." Scrooge said. "But, I must leave. Now, I leave you with the Ghost of Christmas yet to come." I pointed to a rock. "Look an angel!" Scrooge turned around and I ran inside the clock tower. Rainbow Dash, who's hair was no longer blue, Rarity, and Fluttershy were there, but not Sunset. "Wait, where's Sunset?" I asked. "She's the Ghost of Christmas Future," Rainbow said, "And she's about to meet Scrooge." The Ghost of Christmas Yet to ComeSUNSET SHIMMER Of all of us, I think I had the hardest job. After all, I had to help a guy who had thrown a Christmas Wreath at my face. Fortunately, he wasn't going to realize it was me. I was wearing stilts to make me seem about six foot seven. I was clothed in a black cloak with a hood, and I was wearing a black fencing mask to hide my face. The other thing is that I shouldn't speak. It's a good thing that we didn't choose Pinkie Pie as the Ghost of Christmas Future. Upon approaching Scrooge he asked me, "I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come?" I nodded. "You are about to show me shadows of the things that have not happened, but will happen in the time before us," Scrooge pursued. "Is that so, Spirit?" I nodded again. "Ghost of the Future!" he exclaimed, "I fear you more than any specter I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?" I showed Scrooge to a street, and then we saw a few men standing chatting with each other. I pointed to them. "No," said a great fat man with a monstrous chin," I don't know much about it, either way. I only know he's dead." "When did he die?" inquired another. "Last night, I believe." "Why, what was the matter with him?" asked a third, taking a vast quantity of snuff out of a very large snuff-box. "I thought he'd never die." "God knows," said the first, with a yawn. "What has he done with his money?" asked a red-faced gentleman with a pendulous excrescence on the end of his nose, that shook like the gills of a turkey-cock. "I haven't heard," said the man with the large chin, yawning again. "Left it to his company, perhaps. He hasn't left it to me. That's all I know." This pleasantry was received with a general laugh. "It's likely to be a very cheap funeral," said the same speaker; "for upon my life I don't know of anybody to go to it. Suppose we make up a party and volunteer?" "I don't mind going if a lunch is provided," observed the gentleman with the excrescence on his nose. "But I must be fed, if I make one." Another laugh. "Well, I am the most disinterested among you, after all," said the first speaker," for I never wear black gloves, and I never eat lunch. But I'll offer to go, if anybody else will. When I come to think of it, I'm not at all sure that I wasn't his most particular friend; for we used to stop and speak whenever we met. Bye, bye." I walked down and pointed down an alley. There Old Joe, a hideous gangster and a few of his accomplices talked. "What odds then. What odds, Mrs. Dilber." said the woman. "Every person has a right to take care of themselves. He always did." "That's true, indeed," said the laundress. "No man more so." "Why then, don't stand staring as if you was afraid, woman; who's the wiser? We're not going to pick holes in each other's coats, I suppose?" "No, indeed," said Mrs. Dilber and the man together. "We should hope not." "Very well, then!" cried the woman. "That's enough. Who's the worse for the loss of a few things like these? Not a dead man, I suppose." "No, indeed," said Mrs. Dilber, laughing. "If he wanted to keep them after he was dead, a wicked old screw," pursued the woman, "why wasn't he natural in his lifetime? If he had been, he'd have had somebody to look after him when he was struck with Death, instead of lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself." "It's the truest word that ever was spoke," said Mrs. Dilber. "It's a judgment on him." "I wish it was a little heavier judgment," replied the woman; "and it should have been, you may depend upon it, if I could have laid my hands on anything else. Open that bundle, old Joe, and let me know the value of it. Speak out plain. I'm not afraid to be the first, nor afraid for them to see it. We know pretty well that we were helping ourselves, before we met here, I believe. It's no sin. Open the bundle, Joe." But the gallantry of her friends would not allow of this; and the man in faded black, mounting the breach first, produced his plunder. It was not extensive. A seal or two, a pencil-case, a pair of sleeve-buttons, and a brooch of no great value, were all. They were severally examined and appraised by old Joe, who chalked the sums he was disposed to give for each upon the wall, and added them up into a total when he found there was nothing more to come. "That's your account," said Joe, "and I wouldn't give another sixpence, if I was to be boiled for not doing it. Who's next?" Mrs Dilber was next. Sheets and towels, a little wearing apparel, two old-fashioned silver teaspoons, a pair of sugar-tongs, and a few boots. Her account was stated on the wall in the same manner. "I always give too much to ladies. It's a weakness of mine, and that's the way I ruin myself," said old Joe. "That's your account. If you asked me for another penny, and made it an open question, I'd repent of being so liberal and knock off twenty dollars." "And now undo my bundle, Joe," said the first woman. Joe went down on his knees for the greater convenience of opening it, and having unfastened a great many knots, dragged out a large and heavy roll of some dark stuff. "What do you call this?" said Joe. "Bed-curtains?" "Ah!" returned the woman, laughing and leaning forward on her crossed arms. "Bed-curtains." "You don't mean to say you took them down, rings and all, with him lying there?" said Joe. "Yes I do," replied the woman. "Why not?" "You were born to make your fortune," said Joe," and you'll certainly do it." "I certainly shan't hold my hand, when I can get anything in it by reaching it out, for the sake of such a man as he was, I promise you, Joe," returned the woman coolly. "Don't drop that oil upon the blankets, now." "His blankets?" asked Joe. "Whose else's do you think?" replied the woman. "He isn't likely to take cold without them, I dare say." "I hope he didn't die of any thing catching. Eh?" said old Joe, stopping in his work, and looking up. "Don't you be afraid of that," returned the woman. "I an't so fond of his company that I'd loiter about him for such things, if he did. Ah. you may look through that shirt till your eyes ache; but you won't find a hole in it, nor a threadbare place. It's the best he had, and a fine one too. They'd have wasted it, if it hadn't been for me." "What do you call wasting of it?" asked old Joe. "Putting it on him to be buried in, to be sure," replied the woman with a laugh. "Somebody was fool enough to do it, but I took it off again. If calico an't good enough for such a purpose, it isn't good enough for anything. It's quite as becoming to the body. He can't look uglier than he did in that one." "Ha, ha!" laughed the same woman, when old Joe, producing a flannel bag with money in it, told out their several gains upon the ground. "This is the end of it, you see. He frightened every one away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead. Ha, ha, ha!" "Spirit," said Scrooge, shuddering from head to foot. "I see, I see. The case of this unhappy man might be my own. My life tends that way, now. But, show me something I know, if you please." I led Scrooge to Applejacks house, and I hoped that Applejack was as good as an actor as I thought. We entered her home to find it silent. Granny Smith was sitting in her rocking chair, and Big Mac was fixing the stove. Braeburn must have gone home, as he was nowhere in eyeshot. There was a chair in the corner, carefully preserved. "Not Applebloom." Scrooge said. We sat on the stairs and waited for someone to speak. Applejack entered the house simply saying, "Hi y'all." She hugged Granny Smith and Big Mac. "Did it go well?" Granny asked. "Oh, you should have been there Granny." Applejack said. "It's a place on the hill, overlooking the orchard." She started to break into tears. "She...she always loved the orchard. The smell of the apples. The taste of them. I...I named part of the orchard after her, the north west part. It has the most apples growing there. I...I...I need some time alone." Applejack slowly walked to the stairs and walked up them, but stopped right in front of Scrooge. I could see her eyes, bloodshot, and filled with tears. I could only imagine what it must be like for Scrooge, as he looked directly into her face, into her eyes. Scrooge moved out of the way as she began walking up the stairs again. For a second, I thought I saw part of her actually pass through Scrooge, but I knew it wasn't possible. "Spirit," Scrooge began, "Tell me, who was that man who's death brought so many other people joy?" I guided Scrooge to a graveyard, and pointed to a tombstone. He began to walk toward it when he stopped and turned around. "Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point," said Scrooge, "answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that will be, or are they shadows of things that may be, only?" I just pointed at the stone. "Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead," said Scrooge. "But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me." I still pointed at the stone. Scrooge crept toward it, and then wiped the snow off of it and then recoiled in horror as he caught a glimpse of what the stone said.EBENEZER SCROOGE "Hear me, Spirit!" Scrooge pleaded. "I'm not the man that I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?" My hand started shaking a little. "Spirit, tell me that this won't be a living tombstone!" Scrooge said. "Tell me that what is written on this grave won't live on! Spirit, please speak to me!" Suddenly, Scrooge passed out onto the ground. Behind him was Rainbow Dash, holding a needle. I removed my mask and lowered my hood. "Why did you do that?" "We need Scrooge to think that he's actually been haunted by ghosts, not four teenage girls." Rainbow explained. "Good point." "Anyway, I'll get Rarity to help me, you get out of those robes, and meet us at Scrooge's at 7:00." "Why seven?" "Because to that's when this sedative wears off." So, I left and tried to get a little bit of sleep, and prayed that the next morning would be a good one. A Charity DonationRARITY I was told to wait down the street, but I wasn't told why. It's kind of aggravating, really. Although, when I received a text from Sunset that Scrooge would be coming soon, I got a little worried. I hadn't been there for any of his changes. I didn't know if he would be good, or bad. Well I was about to find out. "My dear ma'am," said Scrooge, quickening his pace, and shook my hand. "How do you do. I hope you succeeded yesterday. It was very kind of you. A merry Christmas to you, ma'am!" "Mr. Scrooge?" I said, acting surprised to see him. Although, I was surprised that he was acting this way. "Yes," said Scrooge. "That is my name, and I fear it may not be pleasant to you. Allow me to ask your pardon. And will you have the goodness..." And what Scrooge whispered in my ear is too amazing to say. I'm pretty sure a may have squealed a bit. "That much?" I asked. "Quite so." Scrooge replied. "My dear, Mr. Scrooge, are you sure?" I asked, just making sure that I had heard correctly. "And not a farthing less." Scrooge said. "A great many back-payments are included in it, I assure you. Will you do me that favor?" "Of course Mr. Scrooge, I only wished I had something to give you. Hold on a second." I reached into my bag and pulled out a bright red scarf. "For me?" Scrooge asked. I nodded. Scrooge accepted the gift, and wrapped it around his neck. "Thank you." He said. "Fifty times! And a Merry Christmas!" Just then Sunset came up, carrying a remarkably large turkey, and said, "I got your turkey Mr. Scrooge." Scrooge responded, "You follow me, follow me everyone!" An Odd GuestAPPLEJACK If I knew who it was at the door, I probably would've never opened it. I'm glad I did though, as it was life-changing. When I opened it, Mr. Scrooge stood there, with an angry frown on his face. "Applejack," he began, "You, ma'am, were not at work this-morning." "But...uh...you gave me the day off." I said. "I?" Scrooge asked. "Ebenezer Scrooge? Would I do a thing like that?" "You...uh...did." I said. "Now, I've had my issues with you, Applejack." Scrooge said, "But, now, you leave me with no choice but to raise you salary!" The entire family simultaneously asked, as loud as possible, "WHAT???" "Yes, Applejack, I'm giving you a raise. And, I will personally pay for the mortgage on this house." Scrooge said. "I...I don't know what to say." I said. "Then don't say anything, just answer this: Would you and your family care to join me for a little turkey dinner, on thin fine Christmas morning?" Scrooge asked. "Merry Christmas." Just then, an entire crowd of people, including, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. "Why Mr. Scrooge, we'd love to." I responded. "Fantastic." Scrooge said. And I will tell you that this day was absolutely amazing. Everyone was at our home that day, and Braeburn even turned up later. And Scrooge, yes Scrooge himself, carved the turkey. I must say, that this was the best Christmas ever. PrologueSUNSET SHIMMER Marley was dead, to begin with. Okay, that was a terrible way to begin. I just wanted to get your attention. Anyway, my name is Sunset Shimmer. I am a student at Canterlot high who once turned into a raging she-demon, and later saved the school from sirens. But, I'm sure you already knew that. Anyway, I'm here to tell you the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, and his most recent Christmas. But, I won't be telling it alone. My friends have said that they'll help write this story. You see, Scrooge was not a kind man, not remotely. He was mean, and even cruel at times. That had to change. Now, what we did in the long run, was...questionable, at best. But, I think it was for the greater good. Anyway, without further ado, this is the tale of Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge and his Christmas Carol. Christmas MorningSUNSET SHIMMER We awaited for Scrooge to awake at his home. "How will we know when he wakes up?" Rainbow asked. "Fluttershy is watching from the building across the street." I explained. "She'll text me when he awakes." "Ah, okay. What about Rarity?" Rainbow asked. "She's on the next block." Pinkie said. "And I assume Applejack is at home?" Rainbow said. "You assume correctly." I said. I felt my phone vibrate. I pulled it out and read the text. "Scrooge is awake." I walked over to the area just below his bedroom window. "Hello, you there, young lass!" A voice shouted. I looked up and saw that it was Scrooge. "Yes you! What day is it?" "Uh... It's Christmas, sir." I replied. "Oh thank God, I haven't missed it. The Spirits did it all in one night, of course they did, they can do anything the like." Scrooge turned his attention back to me. "Tell me, has the prize turkey sold yet? You know, in the Poulterer's down the street?" "You mean the one's that's half as big as me?" I asked. "Yes, that's the one!" Scrooge shouted. "Yes, I know it!" I replied. "Go and buy it for me!" Scrooge said. "Yeah, sure." I said sarcastically. "I'm serious! Come back with it, and I'll give you ten dollars! Come back in five minutes and I'll give you fifty!!" "Okay!" I shouted, and I dashed off to the Poulterer's down the street. The End of ItSUNSET SHIMMER The next day, the six of us were taking a walk and were walking towards Canterlot High. "I still can't believe we pulled that off." I said. "Neither can I." Applejack replied. "I thought it was fun!" Pinkie Pie shouted, who was hopping rather than walking. "Pinkie, you think everything is fun," Rainbow Dash said. "Though, I suppose that isn't a bad thing." "So how is Scrooge?" Rarity asked. "He's great now." Applejack said. "He's acting like a father to Applebloom, and she's showing real progress. She isn't coughing or sneezing anymore. I guess all she needed was a little bit of love." "Applejack, I never knew you and you're family were such good actors." Pinkie Pie said, changing the subject. "You acted like we were never there." Applejack got a confused look on her face. "What do you mean?" She asked. "When we were at your house, last night, trying to get Scrooge to realize what was going on with your family." Pinkie Pie explained. "What are you walking about?" Applejack asked. "We waited all night for you to come, and you never did." "Yes we did. Twice." Pinkie Pie said. "Once, when I was there, and once when Sunset was there." "I swear to you, no one ever came to our home on Christmas Eve." Applejack said. "Everyone look!" I shouted pointing at the statue in front of Canterlot High. What we saw didn't surprise me, but it surprised everyone else. Standing in front of the statue, was Twilight, waving at us. And she wasn't alone. Standing with her was, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Fluttershy. They smiled and disappeared into the mirror. "Sunset, did you do something?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Well, I told Twilight what we were planning and she asked if she could help." I explained. "So, she brought her friends along and used their magic to actually take us to the past and to the future." "That would explain how some of us were at some places, but weren't at the same time." Fluttershy said. "All I know is, I'm just happy that we got Scrooge to turn himself around." Applejack said. "For sure." Rainbow Dash said. And as were looked on to the sun setting, we realized how good it was to have friends. And we laughed on into the night. Author's Note I just want to say thank you to all my readers and followers. Without you, I may not have had the ability to write this story. That you one and all, and God bless us ,everyone.
The Sick and The PoorSUNSET SHIMMER It all began on November 13th. Winter had come early, and the ground was covered in snow. The janitor had gotten there early and shoveled the snow, revealing the concrete. The statue was white in snow, and the air was freezing. But, despite the freezing air, I was still in a good mood. After all, lately, winter had been a good time for me lately. My friends were kind and caring, which certainly gave me something to look forward to. Unfortunately, the day would only get worse. Just like every morning, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and I, were waiting for Applejack around the statue in front of the school. But, when Applejack got here, she looked sad. Her head hung down, as she looked at her feet. "Applejack, are you all right?" I asked her as she walked up. She shook her head. "Is something wrong?" Applejack nodded. "Can you tell us?" Applejack straightened and gulped. "Applebloom is sick." She stuttered. "Sicker than I've ever seen in my life. And we can't afford any medicine." "But, what about the orchard?" Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack sat down next to the statue. "I haven't told you this, but...uh...y'all remember the storms we had over the summer?" We all said some variant of 'yes.' "Well, ya see," Applejack explained. "Those storms destroyed the crop, killing anything we had for money. We've been surviving on any leftover money we had from that cider competition." We all sat down next to Applejack. "Do you have a job?" Rarity asked. "I got the only one available." Applejack said. "I have to work as a clerk for a new man in town. He's a British man named Ebenezer Scrooge. I'm going to have to skip our meetings after school for this job. And, now that Applebloom is sick, we'll need all the money we can get." "Oh, Applejack, I'm so sorry." I said. We all tried to comfort her, without success, throughout the day. And, just like she said she would, Applejack left right after school to go to her new job." The next day brought just as much remorse. When Applejack arrived, she had plenty of things to say about Mr. Scrooge. None of them good. "You would not believe how mean Mr. Scrooge is!" Applejack exclaimed. "He was cruel and barely even paid me! Without enough money, I don't think we'll be able to survive!" She slunk down and put her head in her arms. "Couldn't you just find a better job?" Rainbow Dash asked. "No, I can't." Applejack sobbed. "No one else would hire me, 'cause I'm still in school. Scrooge even said the only reason he hired me is because he couldn't find anyone else!" Just like before, we tried to comfort her with no avail, and like yesterday, she left right after school. These events went on for about a while, and Applebloom only got worse. After Thanksgiving, I called everyone (except Applejack, because she had to work) to the library to talk about the events. "I wish Applejack could hang out with us again." Pinkie Pie said, playing with a yo-yo. "It does get boring when one of us isn't here." Rainbow Dash said, who was playing a computer game. "I just hope Applebloom get's better." Fluttershy said also. "That's why we're here." I said, and walked over to a computer. "I have a plan, but we need to do some research on Scrooge first." "Why?" Rarity asked, walking over. "What is your plan?" "I'll tell you after we do research." I replied. I looked Scrooge up, and found a page on him. Everyone else walked over and looked at the computer. I looked his page and noticed a picture of a girl, that looked similar to Rainbow Dash. "It seems he had a partner named Sarah Marley." I pulled up the picture. "Had a partner?" Rarity asked. "Yeah, it seems like she died nearly seven years ago." I said. "She looks a little like you, Rainbow." "Remind me to check my family tree." Dash replied. "He has a lot of history, but that's a good thing." I said, scrolling down the page. "How is it a good thing?" Fluttershy asked. "Well, my plan might just be able to make Scrooge a better person." I explained. "It's questionable, at best, but I have a feeling that it will better in the long run. It will take a lot to make it work, and we'll need a lot of people in on it, including Applejack, but it will be worth it." "Well let's here it!" Rainbow said excitedly.
Scrooge's OfficeAPPLEJACK Sunset's plan was farfetched beyond belief, but I needed it to work, for Applebloom's sake. Working in Scrooge's office wasn't fun at all, and a barely paid, but I hope that Sunset's plan will change that. Today was Christmas Eve, and the most remarkable thing happened. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, came in for a visit. He stormed in, with a massive grin on his face, and a Christmas Wreath in his hand. He shouted in a cheerful voice, "Merry Christmas Uncle! God save you!" "Bah!" said Scrooge, "Humbug!" He barely even looked up from his desk. "Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure." "Oh, I mean it!" Scrooge replied. "Bah, 'Merry Christmas!' What right have you to be merry? You're poor enough!" "What right have you to be dismal?" Fred asked. "You're rich enough." Scrooge face scrunched up in anger, and he shouted "Bah! Humbug!" "Don't be cross, Uncle!" Fred said. "What else can I be," returned the uncle, "when I live in such a world of fools as this? Merry Christmas! Out upon merry Christmas! What's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not a dolor richer; a time for balancing your books and having every item in 'em through a round dozen of months presented dead against you? If I could work my will," said Scrooge indignantly, "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be cooked with his own turkey, and buried with a stake through his heart!" "Uncle!" Fred pleaded. "Nephew!" Scrooge snapped. "Keep Christmas in your way, and I'll keep it in mine!" "But, you don't keep it." Fred said. "Let me leave it alone, then," said Scrooge. "Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!" "There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say," returned the nephew. "Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -- apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that -- as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a single dolor in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!" I probably shouldn't have, but I applauded. Once I realized what I was doing, I immediately stopped, and got back to writing. "Let me hear another sound from you, Applejack," said Scrooge, "and you'll keep your Christmas by losing your employment." Scrooge turned to his nephew. "You're a powerful speaker, sir," Scrooge told Fred. "Perhaps, you should go into government." "Come, Uncle, dine with Clara and me tomorrow." Fred asked. Scrooge rolled his eyes. "Why, ever did you get married?" "Because you fell in love." Scrooge repeated. "Love is a disease. It requires care and attention, like a sick child! It makes you spend every hour of the day taking care of it! Love, is for fools!" "Nay, uncle, but you never came to see me before that happened. Why give it as a reason for not coming now?" "Good afternoon," said Scrooge. "I want nothing from you; I ask nothing of you; why cannot we be friends?" "Good afternoon," said Scrooge. "I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. We have never had any quarrel, to which I have been a party. But I have made the trial in homage to Christmas, and I'll keep my Christmas humor to the last. So A Merry Christmas, uncle!" "Good afternoon," said Scrooge. "And A Happy New Year!" "Good afternoon!" said Scrooge Fred hung the Wreath on a hook, and stopped by me and wished me a Merry Christmas, to which a responded by giving him a Merry Christmas as well. I heard Scrooge mumbling something, but I couldn't make it out. However, now the first part of the plan was in motion. There was a knock on the door, and Rarity walked in. She glanced at me and then walked toward Scrooge. "Hello, I'm Rarity, from the Celestial House of Charity. Do I have the pleasure of addressing Mr. Scrooge or Ms. Marley?" "Ms. Marley has been dead these seven years," Scrooge replied. "She died seven years ago, this very night." "Oh, well, I'm sorry." Rarity said. "But, to my point, in this festive time of the year, we try to give food and warmth to those who need it, and I was hoping you might be able to make a donation." She pulled out a pen and notebook. "What may I put you down for?" "Are there no prisons?" Scrooge asked. "Plenty of prisons." Rarity said. "Are the workhouses still in operation?" Scrooge asked. "Yes, though I wish I could say they were not." Rarity said. "Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course," said Scrooge. "I'm very glad to hear it." "Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude," returned Rarity, "a few of us are endeavoring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?" "You wish to remain anonymous?" Rarity asked. "I wish to be left alone," said Scrooge. "Since you ask me what I wish, Rarity of Charity, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned -- they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there." Rarity gasped. "But, some would rather die!" "Then if they would rather die than they'd better do it!" Scrooge snapped. "And decrease the surplus population!" "Ugh!!!" Rarity gasped. "How can you say something like?!" "Simple, by moving my vocal chords!" Scrooge said smugly. "Well, Mr. Scrooge, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!" Rarity shouted, knowing that would annoy him. She stomped toward the door, opened it shouted, "Good day!" and slammed the door as she walked out. A few minutes later, a voice singing Good King Wenceslas was outside. Scrooge opened the door to find it was Sunset who was singing. She stopped at soon as she saw him. "What do you want?" Scrooge asked angrily. "Uh..." Sunset said, scratching the back of her head. "Any money to spare, sir?" Scrooge slammed the door in her face. He spotted the Christmas Wreath, and snatched it. He opened the door, and threw the Wreath at her, causing her to collapse. When it pushed closing time, he said to me, "You'll want all day tomorrow, I suppose?" "If convenient, sir." I said. "It's not convenient!" Scrooge yelled. "And it's not fair! You expect me to pay you for no work, but when I pay myself for no work, you don't find me ill-used!" "It's...uh...only once a year." I pointed out. "A poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every twenty-fifth of December!" said Scrooge, buttoning his great-coat to the chin. "But I suppose you must have the whole day. Be here all the earlier next morning." "Yes sir!" I said, and once Scrooge left, I left too. I walked over to the alleyway. Sunset, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were there waiting. Rainbow's hair was dyed a light blue, and she was wearing a long light blue dress. "You okay?" I asked Sunset, who was holding an ice pack to her forehead. "I'm okay, just a headache." Sunset said. "You weren't kidding, when you said how terrible Scrooge is!" Rarity said. "Yeah, he's really terrible." I said. "Anyway," Rainbow Dash began, "Applejack, you need to get home." She turned to Sunset, "And we need to beat Scrooge home." "Yeah." Sunset said. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone. She pressed some button's and looked up. "Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie are there already. They say they have the projector set up. You ready?" "I was born ready!" Rainbow said. And I went home, as Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Sunset went to Scrooge's house. I hoped they were ready for Marley's ghost.
Marley's 'Ghost'RAINBOW DASH Scrooge's house was an old, run down mansion surrounded by a black fence. The yard was covered in snow, and the door was wood, with a small knocker that looked similar to a face. Sunset, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and I, were in an alley just off the house. I had had my hair dyed temporarily to get the look we were going for. "Is the projector set up?" Sunset asked, peeking around the corner. "Yep!" Pinkie said, smiling. "Good, because Scrooge is coming now." Sunset said, and pulled back into the alley. She still had an icepack from the wreath Scrooge threw at her. Scrooge walked up to his door, and reached for his key. "Fire up the projector." Sunset whispered. Pinkie turned it on, and slowly, the knocker transformed into Marley's face, which ,of course, looked just like my face. Scrooge looked up and then was startled so much, that he fell onto the icy ground. I couldn't help chuckling a bit. "Turn it off." Sunset said. Pinkie turned off the projector. Scrooge looked up, and saw that the knocker was back to normal. He muttered, "Humbug," and entered his home. "So what's the next part of the plan?" I asked. "It's your turn Rainbow. You have to act as Marley's ghost." Sunset explained. "I hope your up for it." "I am, I'm just not sure about these chains." I said. Rarity had began to put chains on the dress I was wearing. "You read the script we gave you, right?" Sunset asked. "Yeah." I replied. "Then you know why they're there." Sunset said. "Anyway, we think Scrooge left his door unlocked. It's time you go in. Good luck." Upon entering Scrooge's home, I felt a chill down my spine. Applejack told me that Scrooge liked the cold, but it was colder inside, than it was outside. I knew what I was supposed to do, and I didn't know weather to be nervous or happy. After all, it could be fun to scare Scrooge's socks off. I went up the stairs to the second floor. Scrooge was sitting in his chair, eating a loaf of bread. He was wearing a thick, light brown dressing gown, and a very light pink night cap. A bell on the side of the wall, soon rang for about five seconds. I guess that was my cue. I walked up the stairs, moaning to try and sound creepy. I guess it worked, because as soon as Scrooge spotted me, he jumped out of his chair, dropping his bread on the floor, and said nervously, "What do you want with me?!" "Much." I said. I little cheap for a line, but hey it worked. "Who are you?" Scrooge asked. "Ask me who I was." I replied. "Who were you then?" Scrooge asked. "In life, I was your partner, Sarah Marley." I replied. "It looks like you, but I don't believe it." Scrooge said. That wasn't a good sign. "Why do you doubt senses?" I asked. "Because," said Scrooge, "a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheat. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!" "More of gravy than a grave!" I shouted, laughing. "What a terrible pun, where do you come up with those?" "Why do you wear those chains?" Scrooge asked. "I forged these chains in life." I explained. "You wear such a chain, yourself. In fact, yours is likely longer than mine, since you've been living longer than me." "No, speak comfort to me Sarah!" Scrooge pleaded. "I have none to give." I said. "Then, why are you here?" Scrooge asked. "I bring a warning." I replied. "Tonight you will be haunted three spirits." "Couldn't I see then all at once, at get it over with!" Scrooge asked. "No!!!" I shouted. A little dramatic? Maybe. Do I care? Not really. "You will see the first one when the bell tolls one! The second will appear at the stroke of two! And the third will appear shortly after." I began to walk way. "No, Sarah!" Pleaded Scrooge. "Do not leave me!" "Silence, Scrooge!" I shouted. "When the bell tolls one!" I ran down the stairs and back outside. "So how'd it go?" Sunset asked, upon seeing me. She still had the icepack to her forehead. "I think it went well." I replied. "Now, I have to was this dye out of my hair. I like rainbows better than light blue."
The Ghost of Christmas PastFLUTTERSHY "Do I really have to do this?" I asked. I wasn't sure about being a ghost of Christmas past. And, according to Sunset, I had a lot to do. But, she also said that other people would be doing a lot of the work, so I guess I could do it. "Come on Fluttershy, your the perfect choice." Pinkie Pie reassured. "Actually, you're the only choice." Sunset said, who was no longer wearing the icepack. "Rainbow Dash was the only one who could be Marley, and you're the only other one who will be able to fly." "I'm still not sure about doing this." I said. "Fluttershy we need you. Applejack needs you." Sunset said. "I...I guess I can do it." I said. "Great." Sunset said. "It's nearly one. Fly into Scrooge's window and wait for the clock to strike." "Okay." I said. It's a good thing that Sunset was able to figure out how to channel the magic of friendship. It allows us to have wings and tails when we want. I waited near Scrooge's window for the stoke of one. When the clock did strike one, I enter Scrooge's room. He peeked out of his bed curtains, saw me, and asked, "Are you the Spirit, ma'am, whose coming was foretold to me?" "I am." I replied. "Who, and what are you?" Scrooge demanded. "I am the Ghost of Christmas Past." "Long Past?" inquired Scrooge. "No, your past." I walked to the window and opened it. Scrooge looked at me, then at the window. "I am mortal," Scrooge remonstrated, "and liable to fall." "A touch of my hand, and you shall fly." I said. I held out my hand, and Scrooge took it. We flew out the window, and I carried him. There was a light on the horizon. "Spirit," Scrooge asked. "What is that light? It cannot be dawn." "It is the Past." I replied. I covered Scrooge's eyes to make sure that he thought we were going into the past. I landed in the courtyard of the school that we had made to look like Scrooge's. Students were running around, playing tag and having snowball fights. Scrooge looked around. "Good heavens." He said. "This is my old school, I was a boy here. Hello boys. Hello." "Were are but ghosts to them. They can neither see nor hear us. Let us go inside. "I said. We entered the school. I have to give it to Sunset, she did an awfully good job building this school in such a short time. It looked just like the real thing. We entered a classroom, and saw a boy sitting there. Two other boys entered the classroom. "Come on Ebenezer!" The first boy shouted. "Come out and have a Christmas snowball fight with us!" "Oh, you know he doesn't care about it." The other boy said, and they left the classroom. While they were leaving, Ebenezer shouted, "Who cares about stupid, old, Christmas!" "I was often alone." The older Scrooge said. "I didn't have many friends, nor did I want to. I didn't even want to get to know anyone for many years." "Speaking of that." I covered Scrooge's eyes again, and I headed for the next building Sunset made. Upon arrival, I removed my hand from Scrooge's eyes, and he then said with glee, "It's Fezziwig's Rubber Chicken Factory! I was an apprentice here!" We entered the building and saw that there was a party going on. Fezziwig was dancing with his wife to the party music. When it ended, a young man approached Fezziwig. "That's me!" Scrooge said, happily. The young Ebenezer said to Fezziwig, "Sir, do you realize how much money is being spent on this party?" Fezziwig rolled his eyes. "Oh, come Ebenezer, it's Christmas!" Fezziwig said. "Who cares about how much money we spend?" His eyes wondered a bit, and then widened and shouted. "Ah, Belle! Come here!" A girl walked over, with light brown braided hair. "Belle, I'd like to introduce you to Ebenezer Scrooge, my apprentice, and Ebenezer, this is Belle, a friend of the Fezziwig family." Ebenezer kissed her hand and said, "It's great to meet you, ma'am." I looked at the older Scrooge. "This is when you wanted to get to know someone, isn't it?" I asked. "Yes." Scrooge said. "It's a shame." "Come, let us see the final Christmas you must see." I said. "It's the Christmas of your parting." "Oh, please do not show me that Christmas." Scrooge pleaded. Never the less, I guided Scrooge to a park, where we saw the younger Ebenezer sitting on a bench with Belle. "It matters little," she said, softly. "To you, very little. Another idol has displaced me; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, as I would have tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve." "What Idol has displaced you?" he rejoined. "A golden one." "This is the even-handed dealing of the world!" he said. "There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty; and there is nothing it professes to condemn with such severity as the pursuit of wealth!" "You fear the world too much," she answered, gently. "All your other hopes have merged into the hope of being beyond the chance of its sordid reproach. I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master-passion, Gain, engrosses you. Have I not?" "What then?" he retorted. "Even if I have grown so much wiser, what then? I am not changed towards you." She shook her head. "Am I?" "Our contract is an old one. It was made when we were both poor and content to be so, until, in good season, we could improve our worldly fortune by our patient industry. You are changed. When it was made, you were another man." "I was a boy," he said impatiently. "Your own feeling tells you that you were not what you are," she returned. "I am. That which promised happiness when we were one in heart, is fraught with misery now that we are two. How often and how keenly I have thought of this, I will not say. It is enough that I have thought of it, and can release you." "Have I ever sought release?" "In words? No. Never." "In what, then?" "In a changed nature; in an altered spirit; in another atmosphere of life; another Hope as its great end. In everything that made my love of any worth or value in your sight. If this had never been between us," said Belle, looking mildly, but with steadiness, upon him; "tell me, would you seek me out and try to win me now? Ah, no!" Ebenezer seemed to yield to the justice of this supposition, in spite of himself. But he said with a struggle," You think not?" "I would gladly think otherwise if I could," she answered, "Heaven knows. When I have learned a Truth like this, I know how strong and irresistible it must be. But if you were free to-day, to-morrow, yesterday, can even I believe that you would choose a dowerless girl -- you who, in your very confidence with her, weigh everything by Gain: or, choosing her, if for a moment you were false enough to your one guiding principle to do so, do I not know that your repentance and regret would surely follow? I do; and I release you. With a full heart, for the love of him you once were." He was about to speak; but with her head turned from him, she resumed. "You may -- the memory of what is past half makes me hope you will -- have pain in this. A very, very brief time, and you will dismiss the recollection of it, gladly, as an unprofitable dream, from which it happened well that you awoke. May you be happy in the life you have chosen." She left him, and they parted. I flew Scrooge back to his home, entered through the window, and set him down. "Spirit," He said, "Leave me, I will not forget what you have taught me, just let me be." I then left Scrooge and landed in the alley. "Did it go well?" Sunset asked. "I think so, but I'm not entirely sure." I said. "Well no matter what happened, let's hope that it worked." Sunset said. She turned to Pinkie, who was wearing an emerald dress "It looks like it's time for the ghost of Christmas Present." "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" Pinkie shouted jumping up and down.
The Ghost of Christmas PresentPINKIE PIE It was fun setting up all the decorations inside Scrooge's room. It was difficult without waking Scrooge, but it was still fun. His room was decorated with all kinds of fruit and lights. At the stroke of two, I turned on the lights, opened his bed curtains and began to wake him. "Wake up sleepy head! It's time to get up!" Scrooge turned to look at me. "Are you the second spirit who's coming was foretold?" "Maybe..." I said. I jumped into a chair and said, "Now wake up, and know be better!" "I've never met anyone like you." Scrooge said sitting up. "Never? Not even any of my brothers or sisters?" I asked. "Have you had many siblings?" Scrooge asked. "Not many. Just a little over two-thousand." I said, grinning. "Two-thousand?" Scrooge said surprised. "Imagine the grocery bills." We both laughed. I stood up and said. "Have you ever noticed how things are always amazing and cheerful at Christmas?" Scrooge's smile faded. "Honestly, Spirit, no." "Well then, let's go downstairs!" I ran to the staircase and slid down the railing. I opened the door and sniffed the air. It smelled like cake. I had to give it to Sunset, she was certainly able to make it look like morning. Scrooge stepped outside and I led him to the next street and said, "Welcome, Ebenezer, to Christmas morning!" People were out having fun, and enjoying themselves. Some were caroling, some were eating, and some were just enjoying themselves. It was so heart warming I couldn't help but singing. "Tis the singing of the street corner choir" Scrooge then put his hand over my mouth. "Hey, what gives?" I asked. "No offense, spirit," Scrooge explained, "but I'd like to get on with out journey." "Well why didn't you just say so?" I asked. "What do you want to see first?" "Um...kin!" Scrooge decided. "Family! Show me what they are doing today!" I led Scrooge into a small home. Inside were Scrooge's nephew, Fred, and his wife, Clara. Along with them were some friends. "Come on Fred, give us an idea!" "What are they playing?" Scrooge asked. "I think it's yes and no." I replied. "Well, I have got one." Fred said. And then people began shouted answers. "Plant?" "No." "Mineral?" "No." "Animal ,then." "What else?" "Does it live on a farm." "No." "Does it live in the city?" "Often." "Is it a wanted creature?" "Certainly not." "Dog!" "No." Even Scrooge shouted "Cat!" Then Clara shouted, "Cat!" "I said it first." Scrooge said. "No." Fred said. "Mouse?" "Oh, too cute." "Leech?" "Too kind." "Wait, I think I have it." Clara shouted. "It's an animal that lives in the city, isn't wanted, and isn't a cat, a mouse, or a leech? It's your Uncle Scrooge!" "Yes!" Fred shouted. Scrooge's smile faded. "No more, spirit. I wish to see no more." I led him out of the house and to a small street in the west of town. "Why have you brought us here?" Scrooge asked. "This is the home of your clerk, Applejack" I replied. Scrooge walked in, to the Apple Family making dinner. "Big Mac! Can you get the table set up?" Granny Smith shouted. "Yep." Big Macintosh replied. "I cannot wait to see the look on Applejack's face when she realizes that your here Braeburn." Granny Smith said. "Neither can I." Braeburn replied. "You think Applebloom's doin' okay?" "I wish I knew. The doctors say that they can't figure out what's wrong with her." Granny Smith said. "I just hope she gets better." Braeburn said. "Hey Big Mac! Is Applejack coming yet?" Big Mac peeked through the blinds, and said. "Yep." "Quick Braeburn hide!" Granny shouted. Braeburn hid behind a door, just as Applejack entered with Applebloom. "Hey y'all." Applejack said, removing her scarf. "Is Braeburn here?" "Nope." Big Mac said. "He called and said he couldn't be here." Granny Smith said. "Aw, that's too bad." Applejack said. "Just messing with you!" Braeburn shouted and entered the room. "Oh, Braeburn, you made it!" Applejack said with glee. "Come on, let's eat dinner." Applebloom said. Her voice was scratchy, like when you have a virus. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Applebloom had. "Of course." Applejack said. Granny pulled Applejack aside, and asked, "How'd she behave at church?" "As good as gold and better." Applejack said. "And, I think that she gets stronger everyday." They sat down at the table and prayed. "And God bless us." Applejack finished. "God bless us, everyone." Applebloom said. Applejack lifted her glass. "I'd like to propose a toast," She said. "to Mr. Scrooge, the founder of the feast!" "Founder of the feast." Granny Smith said sarcastically. "I wish he were here, for I'd give him something to feast on, and he'd better hope he had the appetite for it!" "Uh, Granny, it's Christmas." Applejack said. "Fine!" Granny Smith shouted. "I'll toast to Mr. Scrooge, for your sake, Applejack, not for his! Long health to him, even if he is a stingy, greedy, selfish..." "To Mr. Scrooge, the founder of the feast!" Applebloom shouted. "To Mr. Scrooge." Granny Smith said, giving in. As Applejack began to carve the goose, Scrooge asked me, "Spirit, tell me if Applebloom will live." "That is the future, my realm is the present." I said, "But, however, I do see an empty chair in the corner, carefully preserved. If these events remain unchanged, the child will die. Come, my time grows short." I led Scrooge to a graveyard with a clock tower to my left. "Why have you led me here?" Scrooge asked. "This is where I leave you." I said. I may have had tears in my eyes. "But, I've learned so much from you." Scrooge said. "But, I must leave. Now, I leave you with the Ghost of Christmas yet to come." I pointed to a rock. "Look an angel!" Scrooge turned around and I ran inside the clock tower. Rainbow Dash, who's hair was no longer blue, Rarity, and Fluttershy were there, but not Sunset. "Wait, where's Sunset?" I asked. "She's the Ghost of Christmas Future," Rainbow said, "And she's about to meet Scrooge."
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to ComeSUNSET SHIMMER Of all of us, I think I had the hardest job. After all, I had to help a guy who had thrown a Christmas Wreath at my face. Fortunately, he wasn't going to realize it was me. I was wearing stilts to make me seem about six foot seven. I was clothed in a black cloak with a hood, and I was wearing a black fencing mask to hide my face. The other thing is that I shouldn't speak. It's a good thing that we didn't choose Pinkie Pie as the Ghost of Christmas Future. Upon approaching Scrooge he asked me, "I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come?" I nodded. "You are about to show me shadows of the things that have not happened, but will happen in the time before us," Scrooge pursued. "Is that so, Spirit?" I nodded again. "Ghost of the Future!" he exclaimed, "I fear you more than any specter I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?" I showed Scrooge to a street, and then we saw a few men standing chatting with each other. I pointed to them. "No," said a great fat man with a monstrous chin," I don't know much about it, either way. I only know he's dead." "When did he die?" inquired another. "Last night, I believe." "Why, what was the matter with him?" asked a third, taking a vast quantity of snuff out of a very large snuff-box. "I thought he'd never die." "God knows," said the first, with a yawn. "What has he done with his money?" asked a red-faced gentleman with a pendulous excrescence on the end of his nose, that shook like the gills of a turkey-cock. "I haven't heard," said the man with the large chin, yawning again. "Left it to his company, perhaps. He hasn't left it to me. That's all I know." This pleasantry was received with a general laugh. "It's likely to be a very cheap funeral," said the same speaker; "for upon my life I don't know of anybody to go to it. Suppose we make up a party and volunteer?" "I don't mind going if a lunch is provided," observed the gentleman with the excrescence on his nose. "But I must be fed, if I make one." Another laugh. "Well, I am the most disinterested among you, after all," said the first speaker," for I never wear black gloves, and I never eat lunch. But I'll offer to go, if anybody else will. When I come to think of it, I'm not at all sure that I wasn't his most particular friend; for we used to stop and speak whenever we met. Bye, bye." I walked down and pointed down an alley. There Old Joe, a hideous gangster and a few of his accomplices talked. "What odds then. What odds, Mrs. Dilber." said the woman. "Every person has a right to take care of themselves. He always did." "That's true, indeed," said the laundress. "No man more so." "Why then, don't stand staring as if you was afraid, woman; who's the wiser? We're not going to pick holes in each other's coats, I suppose?" "No, indeed," said Mrs. Dilber and the man together. "We should hope not." "Very well, then!" cried the woman. "That's enough. Who's the worse for the loss of a few things like these? Not a dead man, I suppose." "No, indeed," said Mrs. Dilber, laughing. "If he wanted to keep them after he was dead, a wicked old screw," pursued the woman, "why wasn't he natural in his lifetime? If he had been, he'd have had somebody to look after him when he was struck with Death, instead of lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself." "It's the truest word that ever was spoke," said Mrs. Dilber. "It's a judgment on him." "I wish it was a little heavier judgment," replied the woman; "and it should have been, you may depend upon it, if I could have laid my hands on anything else. Open that bundle, old Joe, and let me know the value of it. Speak out plain. I'm not afraid to be the first, nor afraid for them to see it. We know pretty well that we were helping ourselves, before we met here, I believe. It's no sin. Open the bundle, Joe." But the gallantry of her friends would not allow of this; and the man in faded black, mounting the breach first, produced his plunder. It was not extensive. A seal or two, a pencil-case, a pair of sleeve-buttons, and a brooch of no great value, were all. They were severally examined and appraised by old Joe, who chalked the sums he was disposed to give for each upon the wall, and added them up into a total when he found there was nothing more to come. "That's your account," said Joe, "and I wouldn't give another sixpence, if I was to be boiled for not doing it. Who's next?" Mrs Dilber was next. Sheets and towels, a little wearing apparel, two old-fashioned silver teaspoons, a pair of sugar-tongs, and a few boots. Her account was stated on the wall in the same manner. "I always give too much to ladies. It's a weakness of mine, and that's the way I ruin myself," said old Joe. "That's your account. If you asked me for another penny, and made it an open question, I'd repent of being so liberal and knock off twenty dollars." "And now undo my bundle, Joe," said the first woman. Joe went down on his knees for the greater convenience of opening it, and having unfastened a great many knots, dragged out a large and heavy roll of some dark stuff. "What do you call this?" said Joe. "Bed-curtains?" "Ah!" returned the woman, laughing and leaning forward on her crossed arms. "Bed-curtains." "You don't mean to say you took them down, rings and all, with him lying there?" said Joe. "Yes I do," replied the woman. "Why not?" "You were born to make your fortune," said Joe," and you'll certainly do it." "I certainly shan't hold my hand, when I can get anything in it by reaching it out, for the sake of such a man as he was, I promise you, Joe," returned the woman coolly. "Don't drop that oil upon the blankets, now." "His blankets?" asked Joe. "Whose else's do you think?" replied the woman. "He isn't likely to take cold without them, I dare say." "I hope he didn't die of any thing catching. Eh?" said old Joe, stopping in his work, and looking up. "Don't you be afraid of that," returned the woman. "I an't so fond of his company that I'd loiter about him for such things, if he did. Ah. you may look through that shirt till your eyes ache; but you won't find a hole in it, nor a threadbare place. It's the best he had, and a fine one too. They'd have wasted it, if it hadn't been for me." "What do you call wasting of it?" asked old Joe. "Putting it on him to be buried in, to be sure," replied the woman with a laugh. "Somebody was fool enough to do it, but I took it off again. If calico an't good enough for such a purpose, it isn't good enough for anything. It's quite as becoming to the body. He can't look uglier than he did in that one." "Ha, ha!" laughed the same woman, when old Joe, producing a flannel bag with money in it, told out their several gains upon the ground. "This is the end of it, you see. He frightened every one away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead. Ha, ha, ha!" "Spirit," said Scrooge, shuddering from head to foot. "I see, I see. The case of this unhappy man might be my own. My life tends that way, now. But, show me something I know, if you please." I led Scrooge to Applejacks house, and I hoped that Applejack was as good as an actor as I thought. We entered her home to find it silent. Granny Smith was sitting in her rocking chair, and Big Mac was fixing the stove. Braeburn must have gone home, as he was nowhere in eyeshot. There was a chair in the corner, carefully preserved. "Not Applebloom." Scrooge said. We sat on the stairs and waited for someone to speak. Applejack entered the house simply saying, "Hi y'all." She hugged Granny Smith and Big Mac. "Did it go well?" Granny asked. "Oh, you should have been there Granny." Applejack said. "It's a place on the hill, overlooking the orchard." She started to break into tears. "She...she always loved the orchard. The smell of the apples. The taste of them. I...I named part of the orchard after her, the north west part. It has the most apples growing there. I...I...I need some time alone." Applejack slowly walked to the stairs and walked up them, but stopped right in front of Scrooge. I could see her eyes, bloodshot, and filled with tears. I could only imagine what it must be like for Scrooge, as he looked directly into her face, into her eyes. Scrooge moved out of the way as she began walking up the stairs again. For a second, I thought I saw part of her actually pass through Scrooge, but I knew it wasn't possible. "Spirit," Scrooge began, "Tell me, who was that man who's death brought so many other people joy?" I guided Scrooge to a graveyard, and pointed to a tombstone. He began to walk toward it when he stopped and turned around. "Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point," said Scrooge, "answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that will be, or are they shadows of things that may be, only?" I just pointed at the stone. "Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead," said Scrooge. "But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me." I still pointed at the stone. Scrooge crept toward it, and then wiped the snow off of it and then recoiled in horror as he caught a glimpse of what the stone said.EBENEZER SCROOGE "Hear me, Spirit!" Scrooge pleaded. "I'm not the man that I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?" My hand started shaking a little. "Spirit, tell me that this won't be a living tombstone!" Scrooge said. "Tell me that what is written on this grave won't live on! Spirit, please speak to me!" Suddenly, Scrooge passed out onto the ground. Behind him was Rainbow Dash, holding a needle. I removed my mask and lowered my hood. "Why did you do that?" "We need Scrooge to think that he's actually been haunted by ghosts, not four teenage girls." Rainbow explained. "Good point." "Anyway, I'll get Rarity to help me, you get out of those robes, and meet us at Scrooge's at 7:00." "Why seven?" "Because to that's when this sedative wears off." So, I left and tried to get a little bit of sleep, and prayed that the next morning would be a good one.
A Charity DonationRARITY I was told to wait down the street, but I wasn't told why. It's kind of aggravating, really. Although, when I received a text from Sunset that Scrooge would be coming soon, I got a little worried. I hadn't been there for any of his changes. I didn't know if he would be good, or bad. Well I was about to find out. "My dear ma'am," said Scrooge, quickening his pace, and shook my hand. "How do you do. I hope you succeeded yesterday. It was very kind of you. A merry Christmas to you, ma'am!" "Mr. Scrooge?" I said, acting surprised to see him. Although, I was surprised that he was acting this way. "Yes," said Scrooge. "That is my name, and I fear it may not be pleasant to you. Allow me to ask your pardon. And will you have the goodness..." And what Scrooge whispered in my ear is too amazing to say. I'm pretty sure a may have squealed a bit. "That much?" I asked. "Quite so." Scrooge replied. "My dear, Mr. Scrooge, are you sure?" I asked, just making sure that I had heard correctly. "And not a farthing less." Scrooge said. "A great many back-payments are included in it, I assure you. Will you do me that favor?" "Of course Mr. Scrooge, I only wished I had something to give you. Hold on a second." I reached into my bag and pulled out a bright red scarf. "For me?" Scrooge asked. I nodded. Scrooge accepted the gift, and wrapped it around his neck. "Thank you." He said. "Fifty times! And a Merry Christmas!" Just then Sunset came up, carrying a remarkably large turkey, and said, "I got your turkey Mr. Scrooge." Scrooge responded, "You follow me, follow me everyone!"
An Odd GuestAPPLEJACK If I knew who it was at the door, I probably would've never opened it. I'm glad I did though, as it was life-changing. When I opened it, Mr. Scrooge stood there, with an angry frown on his face. "Applejack," he began, "You, ma'am, were not at work this-morning." "But...uh...you gave me the day off." I said. "I?" Scrooge asked. "Ebenezer Scrooge? Would I do a thing like that?" "You...uh...did." I said. "Now, I've had my issues with you, Applejack." Scrooge said, "But, now, you leave me with no choice but to raise you salary!" The entire family simultaneously asked, as loud as possible, "WHAT???" "Yes, Applejack, I'm giving you a raise. And, I will personally pay for the mortgage on this house." Scrooge said. "I...I don't know what to say." I said. "Then don't say anything, just answer this: Would you and your family care to join me for a little turkey dinner, on thin fine Christmas morning?" Scrooge asked. "Merry Christmas." Just then, an entire crowd of people, including, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. "Why Mr. Scrooge, we'd love to." I responded. "Fantastic." Scrooge said. And I will tell you that this day was absolutely amazing. Everyone was at our home that day, and Braeburn even turned up later. And Scrooge, yes Scrooge himself, carved the turkey. I must say, that this was the best Christmas ever.
PrologueSUNSET SHIMMER Marley was dead, to begin with. Okay, that was a terrible way to begin. I just wanted to get your attention. Anyway, my name is Sunset Shimmer. I am a student at Canterlot high who once turned into a raging she-demon, and later saved the school from sirens. But, I'm sure you already knew that. Anyway, I'm here to tell you the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, and his most recent Christmas. But, I won't be telling it alone. My friends have said that they'll help write this story. You see, Scrooge was not a kind man, not remotely. He was mean, and even cruel at times. That had to change. Now, what we did in the long run, was...questionable, at best. But, I think it was for the greater good. Anyway, without further ado, this is the tale of Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge and his Christmas Carol.
Christmas MorningSUNSET SHIMMER We awaited for Scrooge to awake at his home. "How will we know when he wakes up?" Rainbow asked. "Fluttershy is watching from the building across the street." I explained. "She'll text me when he awakes." "Ah, okay. What about Rarity?" Rainbow asked. "She's on the next block." Pinkie said. "And I assume Applejack is at home?" Rainbow said. "You assume correctly." I said. I felt my phone vibrate. I pulled it out and read the text. "Scrooge is awake." I walked over to the area just below his bedroom window. "Hello, you there, young lass!" A voice shouted. I looked up and saw that it was Scrooge. "Yes you! What day is it?" "Uh... It's Christmas, sir." I replied. "Oh thank God, I haven't missed it. The Spirits did it all in one night, of course they did, they can do anything the like." Scrooge turned his attention back to me. "Tell me, has the prize turkey sold yet? You know, in the Poulterer's down the street?" "You mean the one's that's half as big as me?" I asked. "Yes, that's the one!" Scrooge shouted. "Yes, I know it!" I replied. "Go and buy it for me!" Scrooge said. "Yeah, sure." I said sarcastically. "I'm serious! Come back with it, and I'll give you ten dollars! Come back in five minutes and I'll give you fifty!!" "Okay!" I shouted, and I dashed off to the Poulterer's down the street.
The End of ItSUNSET SHIMMER The next day, the six of us were taking a walk and were walking towards Canterlot High. "I still can't believe we pulled that off." I said. "Neither can I." Applejack replied. "I thought it was fun!" Pinkie Pie shouted, who was hopping rather than walking. "Pinkie, you think everything is fun," Rainbow Dash said. "Though, I suppose that isn't a bad thing." "So how is Scrooge?" Rarity asked. "He's great now." Applejack said. "He's acting like a father to Applebloom, and she's showing real progress. She isn't coughing or sneezing anymore. I guess all she needed was a little bit of love." "Applejack, I never knew you and you're family were such good actors." Pinkie Pie said, changing the subject. "You acted like we were never there." Applejack got a confused look on her face. "What do you mean?" She asked. "When we were at your house, last night, trying to get Scrooge to realize what was going on with your family." Pinkie Pie explained. "What are you walking about?" Applejack asked. "We waited all night for you to come, and you never did." "Yes we did. Twice." Pinkie Pie said. "Once, when I was there, and once when Sunset was there." "I swear to you, no one ever came to our home on Christmas Eve." Applejack said. "Everyone look!" I shouted pointing at the statue in front of Canterlot High. What we saw didn't surprise me, but it surprised everyone else. Standing in front of the statue, was Twilight, waving at us. And she wasn't alone. Standing with her was, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Fluttershy. They smiled and disappeared into the mirror. "Sunset, did you do something?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Well, I told Twilight what we were planning and she asked if she could help." I explained. "So, she brought her friends along and used their magic to actually take us to the past and to the future." "That would explain how some of us were at some places, but weren't at the same time." Fluttershy said. "All I know is, I'm just happy that we got Scrooge to turn himself around." Applejack said. "For sure." Rainbow Dash said. And as were looked on to the sun setting, we realized how good it was to have friends. And we laughed on into the night. Author's Note I just want to say thank you to all my readers and followers. Without you, I may not have had the ability to write this story. That you one and all, and God bless us ,everyone.
