Episode 5: A Miracle for a Friend

After changing hats again, Ash begins "Scrooge ran to the window and opened it to find that the city was just as it was before, and bustling with activity as Christmas bells ringing filled the air..."

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Lysandre throws open the window and gasps joyfully as he hears bells ringing in the distance. "It's Christmas morning!" he cries. He spots May walking on the snowy street below. "Hello, good lass! Might you know what day it is?" he calls to her.

"It's Christmas, of course!" May calls back.

Of course it's Christmas--that means that everything that happened last night was all true! Praise to the Great Arceus, for he has made me a new person! Lysandre smiles to himself before calling down to May again. "Do you know if the large roast Combusken in the meat shop is still there?"

"It was when I passed it just now." May replies.

"Would you be so kind to buy it and have it delivered here?" Lysandre asks. "I'll pay you a thousand credits in return!"

"Really?" May gasps once she realizes who is asking the favor.

"Do it quickly and I'll pay two thousand!" Lysandre replies.

"Okay!" With that, May darts off down the road.

Lysandre dashes about the room getting ready, oblivious to Ash as he tells Serena "Scrooge got ready as quickly as he could, tidying up every room in the mansion all the while. He laughed so much and smiled so large, people thought he'd gone nuts!"

"Merry Christmas, one and all!" Lysandre yells into the cold winter air, surprising May, Ethan, and Lyra as they approach the house.

"What's gotten into you, Mr. Scrooge?" Lyra gasps as Lysandre gives May two large coins in return for the Combusken.

"You turned us away before!" Ethan agrees.

Lysandre just ignores the questions. "Good morning to both of you! Please accept this little donation from me!" He snatches Lyra's hat off her head and fills it with coins.

Ethan balks at the amount. "It can't be!"

"Twenty thousand credits--and you're serious?" Lyra is just as surprised.

"That not enough?" Lysandre asks before snatching Ethan's hat and filling it with even more coins. "Have another fifty thousand!"

"It's a miracle...we have enough to give to the poor for three months at least!" Ethan smiles.

"I'm not through yet!" Lysandre then showers Ethan and Lyra with coins. "There...a hundred thousand credits in all, and not a credit more!" He laughs as he dances down the icy road to a melody he only seems to hear.

Lyra surfaces from the mountain of coins some seconds later. "I'd say the real miracle is Scrooge's changed demeanor!" she tells Serena as she and Ash emerge from the house. She yells after Lysandre "Thank you, and Merry Christmas!"

"Word about Scooge's changed personality spread like wildfire through the town, and while some pondered whether it was an act or not at first, they only needed one glance and maybe a gift to see that the transformation was very real." Ash tells Serena as the two of them follow Lysandre, who is dancing down the road, giving things to people.

He then spots Malva walking down the road. "Morning, my love!"

"Uncle?" Malva gasps. "Are you okay? The town's buzzing with rumors that you've changed!"

"Indeed I have...and I'm looking forward to Christmas dinner with you." Lysandre smiles.

No way--the rumors are true! Malva isn't sure what to think at first. "You mean you're coming after all?"

"How could I not, when there's candied Berries and gingerbread to be had?" Lysandre laughs. "And chocolate mint pie with whipped cream, too!"

"I'll make a place for you immediately, Uncle!" Malva laughs as she continues on her way.

"I'll be there at two, sharp!" Lysandre calls after her. "Make sure everything's piping hot!" With that, he continues down the road, Ash and Serena not far behind him.

"But Scrooge's biggest surprise was saved for the Cratchit house." Ash tells Serena as Lysandre approaches the house with the roast Combusken and a bag of books and toys and knocks at the door. "Although he wanted very much to put on an air of his former arrogance, his happiness just overwhelmed him."

Callum gasps when he sees who is on the stoop. "Mr. Scrooge...what are you doing here?" he wonders as he lets Lysandre in.

"You're not raising the rent again, are you?" Shauna worries.

"No..." Lysandre replies. "I'm doing one better..." Shauna's lower lip quivers as she fears the worst. "I'm giving you a raise!"

Callum's mouth hits the floor. "Honest?" Shauna gasps.

"Y-you mean it?" Callum agrees.

"And even better--I'm making you my new partner!" Lysandre continues. "While I can't even begin to ask your forgiveness after all the years I have mistreated you and your family, I hope these gifts are a small step towards making amends." With that, he unveils the roast Combusken, the toys and the books.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!" The children run over to the bag of books and toys and start playing with them.

"Merry Christmas..." Lysandre smiles as he hugs Callum, Shauna, and Froagie.

"And Arceus bless us, every one!" Tiny Tim interjects as he moves a black king over one of Shidao's few remaining red pieces on a checkerboard.

"Mien ..." Shidao sighs when he sees he lost the game of checkers, but smiles when he concedes victory to his master.

Lysandre fishes a book of fairy tales from the bag. "Come now, who wants to hear a story?"

"I do!" The children abandon their toys and crowd around a chair as Lysandre sits down.

Callum and Shauna smile as Lysandre invites Tiny Tim and Froagie into his lap and begins to read. "There was once a king in a far away land that had an odd custom...."

"Scrooge made good on his promises to give Mr. Cratchit a raise and make him his new partner, allowing Tiny Tim to get the care he deserved." Ash tells Serena as he unveils a gift of his own for her--a bag of mint truffles. "He became his partner's closest friend, and eventually the whole town knew him well--even the naysayers had to admit he was a new person." The scene swirls back to the present as Shidao tries to get a look at one of the book's pictures.

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"But he never forgot what the Spirits had taught him--from that Christmas on, he was a happier person, and a true definition of a Christmas miracle." Ash concludes. "The end."

"Bravo!" Serena leads the applause as Ash takes a bow.

The door slams from downstairs, getting Ash's attention. "Ash, Serena, we're back!" Delia calls. He motions for Serena to follow him to the living room, where Delia and Taran are putting their coats away.

"How'd everything go, Champ?" Taran smiles.

"You missed Ash's performance of 'A Christmas Carol'." Serena replies. "Brock's been training him well--Ash did so well, it was like I was there in the story's world."

"If I can come to next year's party, I'll tell it for everyone!" Ash offers as he accepts a bag of the same mint truffles he gave Serena in the story's world. Serena eagerly grabs one and eats it as a reminder of her journey into Ash's imagination.

THE END

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