Chapters To begin with, Trixie Marley was dead. Dead as a doorknob. There was no doubt about it. The only one to show up at her funeral was her business partner, Starlight Scrooge. Perhaps her passing on Christmas Eve was a bad omen. Then again, perhaps it was just a coincidence.
Regardless, time had passed and, for seven years, Scrooge hadn't changed a bit. She was always quite the grumpy one, indeed. This showed in how she treated other ponies as well as how she carried herself.
It was Christmas Eve exactly seven years since Trixie Marley's death as Starlight was working hard as usual. Also hard at work was her clerk, Twi Cratchett. It wouldn't be long until Starlight's own niece, Jackie.
"Merry Christmas, Aunty Starlight!" the orange mare exclaimed walking in with a bright smile on her face right up to her aunt's desk
"Bah!...Humbug..."
"Christmas a humbug? Now y'all can't possibly mean that"
"Oh I do..." Starlight said coldly "Merry Christmas eh?...what right have you to be merry? You're poor enough."
"Well what right do y'all got to be so grumpy? Yer rich enough."
"And what IS Christmas to you? A time for paying bills without any money? A time for finding yourself a whole year older and, yet, not an hour richer? Well if I had it my way every foal who goes about with 'merry Christmas' on their lips would be boiled in their own pudding!...and buried with a stake of holly through their heart...so I ask you niece...you keep Christmas in your way and I'll keep it mine..."
"But y'all DON'T keep it!"
"Then let me leave it alone then!"
"Well, I for one love Christmas. It's a time to spread joy and cheer! A time to enjoy one another's company! And so, though it may have never put any extra bits in mah saddlebag, I'd say it's done me good and WILL do me good...so I say again, Merry Christmas, Aunty!"
Twi smiled hearing her employer's niece give her speech and applauded before being given a glare from Starlight as her applause slowed "one more sound out of YOU, Ms. Cratchett and you'll be spending Christmas on the unemployment line!"
"Y-yes, Ms. Scrooge"
"Now don't be so hard on Twi like that. It was my speech"
"Indeed. You're quite the speaker aren't you? A shame you never went into politics"
"Well tomorrow night we're throwin' a little get together. We'd love it if y'all would come"
"I wouldn't set foot in your dreadful home...tell me Jackie...why DID you marry?"
"Because ah fell in love of course!"
"Because you fell in love?...good afternoon" Starlight would say with her usual coldness
"Now Aunty...why do ya always gotta be so crossed with me?...I never ask anything from ya...I just don't understand why we can't just be friends..."
"Good afternoon." Starlight would reply more sternly than before
Jackie would just sigh "Well a Merry Christmas Aunty"
"Good afternoon!" she'd reply with an almost yelling tone
"And a happy New Year!"
"GOOD AFTERNOON!"
"And a merry Christmas to you too Twi."
"Merry Christmas Jackie" Twi said with a smile as Jackie would see herself out, smiling herself
Starlight groaned in annoyance "well it's about time!..."
Chapter 2: Just Another Day in the Office
Twi and Starlight would go back to work after Jackie left as both got quite focused into their work. Not long later, two mares came into the establishment with welcoming smiles on their face. One was a yellow pegasus with a pink mane and tail and blue eyes while the other was a white unicorn with an elegant purple mane and tail and blue eyes as well.
"Why, good afternoon, darling" the unicorn said delightfully as they both approached the desk of Starlight
"I um...don't suppose we could be speaking to Ms. Scrooge or Ms. Marley...um...a-are we?..."
"Ms. Marley has been dead seven years today..."
"Oh my...we're so sorry..." the pegasus would respond
"Why's that? Are you relatives of hers?"
"Well um...no but-"
"Then what do you want?" Starlight said, cutting off the unicorn
"Well um...you see Ms. Scrooge...a-at this time of year we take time to give to the poor homeless ponies...who have nowhere to go..." answered the pegasus
"Aren't there prisons?" Starlight asked
"Yes, plenty..." the unicorn responded, a bit weary
"And are the workhouses still up and running?"
"Um...y-yes...miss..."
"Good. For a moment you had me worried." Starlight would say relieved
"Well um...we do wish to give the homeless this time of year...give them food, drink, and shelter." the unicorn continued
"W-what shall we put you down for?" the pegasus asked
"Nothing."
"Oh, you wish to remain anonymous. Well, of course, darli-"
"I wish to be left alone! I don't make myself merry at Christmas and I can't afford to make ponies merry who don't even do anything! I support the establishments I mentioned, merely have the homeless go there"
"Well...most of them can't go there...m-many would rather die..."
"Then they'd better do it and decrease the surplus population!"
The unicorn gulped "well um...would you look at the time. We simply must be going...Merry Christmas, darling." the two then quickly left the establishment
"Humbug!" Starlight simply said before returning to work.
It soon neared the end of the day as the two got ready to close up for the night. Twi was about to speak before she was cut off by Starlight
"I suppose you want the whole day off tomorrow?"
"If it's convenient ma'am"
"Well it's not! If I were to dock you half a bit, you'd think you were being ill-used!...yet you don't think I'm being ill-used by paying a full-day's wage for no work!...but I suppose if you must, you may have the day off...but I expect you here all the earlier the day after! Got it!?..."
"Yes ma'am! Thank you so much! Merry Chri-" she was cut off by Starlight's glare "-uhh...good night Ms. Scrooge" the two headed off to their respective homes for the night. Starlight sporting her usual gloomy face while Twi's was bright and full of cheer. Little did Starlight know her night had only just begun
Starlight slept soundly in her bed. However, as promised, as the clock struck 1, there was a bright light that woke her. As she woke, she looked to the light and saw a tall white alicorn standing there, her green, pink, and blue mane flowing like a breeze and her purple eyes gazing at her.
"Can you put out that light? I'm trying to sleep"
"Why put out the light that shines within all ponies?"
"Who even are you?"
"I am the Ghost of Christmas Past of course"
"Long past?"
"Your past. Come. Let's take a trip down memory lane." the alicorn offered her hoof to the mare as she sighed
"You won't take no for an answer will you?" she took the hoof without waiting for a response as the alicorn spread her wings and flew out the window, carrying Starlight in her grasp. All around them, the world seemed to change as they land outside a schoolhouse during the day.
"Wait a minute...I recognize this place...this was my old schoolhouse." She smiled looking around as the memories rushed back, making her giddy as a young foal again. Speaking of which, she would look inside a window and saw a younger version of herself inside working. Her younger self would sigh as she worked on. Soon, a young yellow filly ran in
"Starlight!"
"Bloom! My dear sister. What brings you here? Won't father be furious?"
"He's the one who sent me big sister. He's much kinder now, so I asked if you could come home...and he said yes" she smiled. The younger Starlight would get up from her desk and rush over, hugging her close before packing her stuff up into her saddlebag
Meanwhile the two spectators smiled as the spirit then spoke "such a wonderful filly, your sister..."
"I loved her dearly...It's a shame she couldn't live forever..."
"She did have children right?"
"One child...my niece...and after she passed on I promised myself I'd never love anyone again..."
"But you did...didn't you, Starlight?" She took her hoof again as it became night once more and the scenery changed once again to a counting house
"Why...It's Pinkiewig's! I used to apprentice here!..." she rushed to the window peeking in "And there's Old Pinkiewig herself! Alive again! Bless her soul!"
Inside, Pinkiewig and Scrooge were working as soon the clock struck 7 as Pinkiewig grinned nice and wide as she tossed her desk aside
"IT'S SEVEN O'CLOCK!" she then kicked Starlight's desk off to the side "No more work tonight Starlight! Aaaand it's Christmas! You know what that means!"
"I...uh..."
Pinkiewig then kicked the wall as decorations came down in perfect placement "Leeeeeet's PARTY!!!" The party then commenced on cue. Ponies were dancing, talking, laughing, and having an all-around good time.
"A pretty small get-together right?"
"Small?"
"Well it didn't cost much to put together that's for sure"
"Ah, but her parties never ceased to bring joy and smiles to pony's faces without needing to"
Inside, a yellow and white unicorn caught her eye as he came over and asked to dance "the name's Sunburst"
"Starlight Scrooge. It's a pleasure"
"The pleasure's all mine" the two would dance and gaze into each other's eyes.
"Oh Sunburst...how I once loved him..." the Starlight from the present stated
"Yes...but then you fell in love with something else..."
"What are you getting at, spirit?..." the scenery changed once again as it was daytime again in a park as Sunburst and young Starlight sat on that bench. "Oh no...no no no. Not again!..." she would already begin to tear up as she looked at the scene before her
"Starlight?..."
"Yes Sunburst?"
"I know we're engaged but...I'm afraid I'm going to have to back out on our marriage..."
"But why Sunburst?"
"It's clear to me that there's something you love more."
"Sunburst. Whatever do you mean?"
"I'm talking about money...I've seen it in your eyes Starlight. You've changed..."
"But my feelings towards you haven't"
"Oh really?...Looking back, would the you now have still taken me back then with how poor I was and still am?...Back when we didn't need money to be happy?.."
"I...uh...well..."
"Look...I'm doing this for you...I don't know when or why you changed but you have...and so with a heavy heart...and a love for the mare you once were...I hereby free you from your commitment..."
Starlight just nodded, giving him the ring from her horn as the two walked off.
Present day Starlight watched as tears rolled down her face like waterfalls "What are you doing you foal! GO AFTER HIM! You can't just let this happen! Do something! It's not too late!..."
"Very well but remember...these are the memories that you, yourself, forged."
As Starlight closed her eyes in anger and she opened them again she found herself back in her bed. She huffed and went back to sleep "Bah, humbug!..."
About an hour later, Starlight is awakened to the sound of joyous humming and laughter coming from her living room. She groaned and got out of bed, walking grumpily to the source. When she got there, she came to see a pink unicorn with a yellow, hot pink, and purple mane and a pair of purple eyes sitting in her room with a long green robe. The alicorn bared a pleasant welcoming smile as she saw Starlight "There you are! Come on in, Ms. Scrooge!"
Starlight groaned again in response and just walked over
"Oh don't be such a grump. Loosen up a bit. You'll be surprised just how great this time of year is if you let yourself feel the joy in your heart."
"Bah humbug...let me guess...you're one of those spirits aren't you?"
"Duh. I'm the ghost of Christmas present. Now we're going for a walk around town. Here. Touch my robe."
"That's...there was no better way that could've been worded?"
The spirit just rolled her eyes smiling "Just do it."
"Fine fine." Starlight begrudgingly did as asked as the spirit began walking out to the town as it became the next day. Everypony was out and about spreading cheer and joy everywhere. "Look around Starlight. Look at all the smiles on everypony's face. Everyone's just so happy and joyful. The love they share. Now that's Christmas."
"Humbug!..."
"Still not feeling the joy of the holiday season? The love and caring in the air? The welcoming of your fellow pony? Come. Let me show you something a little...closer to home." she led her to Jackie's house where there was a warm family celebration going on inside. The spirit brought her inside through the wall as they observed
"Alright now. Who wants to play a game?" Jackie asked as the family happily shouted "we do!" with glee in response "alright. How about 20 questions? I'm thinking of an animal"
"Does it live in the city?"
"You bet"
"Is it a cat?"
"Nope."
"A dog?"
"Nuh-uh"
"An ass?"
"Well...yes AND no..."
"I KNOW! It's Auntie Starlight!"
"Bingo!" she'd respond as the whole family laughed."in all seriousness, though. The mare's still family. And if ya ask me, ah just know there's still some good in her...I say we toast to her" she picks up her glass "To Auntie Starlight!" the family returned the toast and drank as Starlight smiled a bit
"They included me in their festivities..."
"Of course they did. Just because you despise your niece doesn't mean they feel the same towards you. You're still their family whether you like it or not...now come. Time is of the essence"
"Of course, Spirit. Lead the way" And that she did, to a very poor-looking home, almost looking more like an over-sized tool shed
"Why have you brought me here?"
"you'll see. Just take a look"
The two looked in on Twi Cratchett's husband, Rainbob, was cooking dinner as the kids were having their fun as one walked over to him "when's Mom gonna get home Dad?"
"She should be home any minute now."
As she said that, Twi came in, a young orange pegasus filly riding on her back with a crutch in her hooves "we're home!"
"Welcome home dears."
"Twi Cratchett!? She lives in this run-down old place?...Spirit?" Starlight asked "who is that filly?"
"Her name is Tiny Scoot. Poor crippled filly can hardly walk or fly...to top it off she's also been diagnosed with quite a severe illness...but, let's keep watching"
"So how was church?" Rainbob asked
"It was awesome, Dad"
"I tell you she has quite an interesting way of thinking. She said she hoped the church ponies saw her a cripple, so it would remind them on Christmas Day who made low beggars walk and blind ponies see"
Rainbob smiled "absolutely wonderful." he said as he checked the food "dinner's ready!" he said as she brought the cooked bird to the table. The scrawny little thing looked barely enough to feed them.
"Well surely they have a bigger turkey than that" Starlight said in disbelief.
"Not on the salary you pay her"
"Oh...um...yes, of course..."
"I say we make a toast" Twi suggested "to the founder of this feast, Ms. Scrooge!"
"Founder of the feast?" Rainbob said annoyed "oh I'd make her feast on something if that witch were here!"
"Now dear. She may be unsettling, but everyone deserves cheers at Christmas. Besides, we couldn't have afforded this magnificent feast if not for her"
"Fine. I'll toast to her for your sake. NOT for hers."
"To Ms. Scrooge! And God bless us! Everyone!" Scoot exclaimed excitedly as they began to eat drink and be merry
"Spirit?" Starlight asked "what will happen to...Tiny Scoot..."
"My domain is mainly in the present. The future is normally out of my jurisdiction. However, I see an empty chair by the fireplace...and a crutch without an owner...carefully preserved...if these shadows are not changed...the filly will die..."
"That...that's terrible..."
"Why? 'If they have to die, they'd better do it...and decrease the surplus population'..."
Hearing her own words used against her caused her guilt to begin surfacing as the world became a black void as she looked to the spirit. "I have one last thing to show you...but my time grows short..." two children emerge from her robe, one colt and one filly
"Are they yours?"
"No...they're yours...the colt is ignorance...the filly is want...both have been abandoned...but with a little generosity...could become far more...heed our warning..."
"Yes. Of course, spirit."
"my time is now up Starlight...change your ways...it's your last hope for redemption..."
The spirit and the two foals begin to slowly fade away into the void, leaving Starlight alone in the darkness
Starlight looked around in the empty black void before closing her eyes and chanting to herself "Please wake up, please wake up, please wake up" as she would remember something "Wait a minute...wasn't it 3 spirits that Trixie had warned me about?..." She would soon realize that she was not alone. Starlight would turn behind her to see a tall pony in a black cloak standing there, her cloak shrouding her form in darkness.
"Are you...the ghost of Christmas yet to come?..." the mare just nodded in response "I fear you more than any spectre before you...but I know you intend to do me good...so I'll go with you on whatever trip you wish to take me." the spirit pointed her blue hoof from the robe towards Starlight's left. She could see ponies talking on the street
"Well if you ask me, I'd say it's about time"
"I thought she'd never die."
"At least it'll be a cheap funeral. I can't imagine anyone who'll attend..."
"I might if lunch is provided. Something has to feed my appetite"
"Well I wouldn't dare attend. Black does not do me any favors."
"It appears that...whoever this pony was...she wasn't enjoyed very much in life...spirit...could you show me someone with at least...a little more...sympathy...towards death?"
"Your mother seems to be walking home slower and slower every day..."
"Well...we can't exactly blame her...at least she should be home soon..."
Twi came in looking down sadly as her family hugged her, the mare hugging back "You went to the hill again didn't you..."
"It just...it keeps her memory alive...you know she always loved the sunset from that hill..." she had tears flowing down her face through her words as she paused and began crying into her husband's shoulder as Rainbob tried his best to comfort her as Starlight looked to the fireplace as it appeared the prior spirit's foretelling had come true.
"An empty chair by the fireplace...and a crutch without an owner...carefully preserved..." the words echoed in her mind as she, herself, broke out into tears. She was so choked up she could barely hold back a sob.
"No...no...not Tiny Scoot...this can't be true..." She let her tears flow for a minute longer before turning back to the spirit "Please, spirit. No more of this place. Take me away." As her words came, the scene would fade, revealing a cemetery
"Spirit...why have you brought me here?..." the spirit merely pointed to a lone tombstone on a hill and covered in cobwebs and snow. The two trotted to it as Starlight gazed upon it "Spirit...who's tombstone is this?..." Starlight would ask as the spirit just pointed to it with her hoof once more. Starlight could tell what the spirit needed her to do "Spirit...before I read the name on this tombstone...tell me...are these the shadows of things that will be?...or of things that may be...only?..." the spirit just pointed to the tombstone once more as Starlight nodded "you're right...I shouldn't delay it any longer..." she knelt down to the tombstone and looked upon it. She lifted her hoof slowly and brushed it off, closing her eyes as the snow came off and then slowly opening them to read the name on the grave "Starlight Scrooge" she read as her face grew pale with fear as she turned to the spirit "Oh spirit...please...I promise I will mend my ways...the lessons of past, present, and future will not have fallen on deaf ears. I will honor Christmas in my heart!! And try to keep it all year! I will become a friend to all ponies. I swear to you, Spirit, that I will change!" she closed her eyes to let everything slip away and allow her to think
Chapter 7: God Bless Us! Everyone!
Starlight opened her eyes to see she was still in her bed. She looked around and felt her face "I'm still here! I'm alive!" she smiled as she got up and began dancing with joy, feeling as lively as ever, before opening the window and looking around, spotting a young white colt with brown sploches all over his coat and a darker brown mane and tail "You there!"
"Who? Me?"
"Yes of course! My dear colt! What day is it!?"
"Today? Why it's Christmas Day!"
"Christmas Day!? Splendid! I haven't missed it! The spirits did it all in one night! Of course they did! They can do whatever they want! Do you you know the turkey hanging up in the marketplace?"
"The one as big as me!?"
"That's the one! Could you do me a favor and run down to the market and fetch it for me? Here!" she tossed down a few bits for the turkey "and take this for your troubles!" she said tossing down more bits. The colt's face lit up and he rushed, with the money, to the marketplace. Starlight got dressed and headed downstairs and outside as she ran into the two mares from earlier as the pegasus cowered behind the unicorn "oh hello. So glad I ran into you! Listen I'm terribly sorry for what I said yesterday. Go ahead and put me down for-" she whispered an amount into the unicorn's ear as her face lit up, whispering the same to the pegasus' ears
"That much!?" the pegasus asked in disbelief
"And not a bit less. Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas, Ms. Scrooge!" she nodded as they walked off and the colt from earlier returned with the turkey as Scrooge took it
"Thank you so very much my dear colt! A merry Christmas to you!"
"And a Merry Christmas to you Ms. Scrooge!" she then went to a stallion
"I need you to take this turkey to Twi Cratchett's house" she said giving him some bits
"Well I'm not sure I can carry it all the way there."
Starlight laughed jollily "you...you can't carry it all the way there?" she laughed more "then take a cab, silly!" she gave him more bits
The stallion nodded and hailed a cab. Starlight began walking around, a big warm smile on her face. She trotted to Jackie's house as she knocked on the door. Jackie smiled as she answered
"I'd...be delighted to share a Christmas dinner with you and your family, Jackie...that is...if you'll have me..."
"Of course! Come on in!" Starlight smiles and joins in. After dinner and a few fun activities, she politely dismissed herself and headed to Twi's house with giddy in her step as she approached but as she got closer her face turned back to that of her old self as she knocked on the door. Twi answered
"Ms...Starlight?..."
"Mrs. Cratchett..." she said coldly "I didn't see you at work this morning..."
"Well yeah...you...said I could take the day off..."
"Is that so?...well that's no excuse for such insubordination!..."
"But-"
"Now listen here!" Rainbob said angrily
"I simply cannot allow this to continue Mrs. Cratchett! And THEREFORE! I'M AFRAID I HAVE NO CHOICE-" she paused and simply couldn't keep up the act as she began chuckling "No choice...but to give you a raise!"
"But ma'am, I-...wait...what!?"
"AND I'd like to make you my new partner!"
"Ma'am...I...I just don't know what to say..."
"Then just say...Merry Christmas...Twi..."
Twi just smiles "Merry Christmas, Starlight..."
Starlight was better than her word. She made Twi her new apprentice, kept the spirit of Christmas alive all year in her heart, and even got closer to her niece. And to Tiny Scoot? Well, with Starlight's help, the filly lived on and got the surgery she needed to recover. Starlight had practically become like a second mother to the dear filly. So as this story comes to a close, I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas. And God bless us. Everyone!
~The End~
Starlight would approach the door to her house, ready to relax for a bit and turn in for the night. However, when she turned her gaze to the door, the knocker had a pale ghostly light and bared the face of her old partner Trixie "Scroooge..." the spectre would say hauntingly. Then Starlight would shake her head as the knocker returned to normal as she sighed relieved "must just be my imagination" she entered the home and went about her night. However, while relaxing in her chair, she heard noises like footsteps approaching. She looked at the door to her living room where she saw the ghost of Trixie Marley appear, covered in chains that extend to the ground, attached to heavy weights and the like at the ends "Starlight Scrooge..."
"T-Trixie?..."
"You don't believe The Great and Businessy Trixie actually here do you?...why don't you believe your own eyes?"
"Because they can be easily be manipulated. You could've been caused by underdone food, an upset stomach. There's more gravy than grave about you." She was then forced to eat her words as Trixie bellowed at her, causing a shiver down her spine "why are you covered in so many chains?"
"Trixie wears the chains she forged in life...She made them link by link...and yard by yard...and now she is forced to carry them for eternity in the afterlife...yours were as heavy and long as these seven Christmas Eves ago. It's only gotten longer and longer since"
"But I don't understand...You were always such a great mare of business"
"Business? Ponykind was Trixie's business. The common welfare was Trixie's business. Joy, happiness, charity...they were all businesses of the Great and Businessy Trixie. Listen, Star. You can still escape my fate."
"But how?..."
"You'll be visited by 3 spirits..."
"I...think I'll pass"
"The first one should come by at about 1."
"Couldn't I just take them all at once and get it over with?"
Sunset just chuckled "farewell Starlight. Trixie wishes you luck in your reformation" she then took her chains and faded out of the door.Starlight laid there in disbelief before passing it off as a delusion and heading to bed
