Magi Magi Magician Gal: I've got to be nuts, posting a new story.

Ryou: But you said you would do this story last year and didn't, so you're posting it now.

MMMG: True.

Joey: Okay everyone, if you've seen MMMG's profile lately, you know that the home internet has been cut for what is now a week and a day, or so. The only reason MMMG is updating now, is because she took her computer to work and then walked to the nearby McDonald's that has free Wi-Fi on her lunch break.

MMMG: But I got a free hot chocolate out of it.

Seto: For those of you who saw the update she put up on Nov. 26th, updating after New Year's will be extremely difficult. It may not even happen at all, so be prepared for a two month forced hiatus.

MMMG: And now that the dreary info is out of the way, here is the story I promised last year but am posting now, "A Christmas Carol". I don't own Yugioh or Barbie in a Christmas Carol. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: No Christmas?

In the snowy cold of London, a theater was preforming its last show of the season. So far, all of the actors had performed, and the owner was now singing a carol.

The man was Yami Sennen. Yami had crimson eyes, tri-colored hair, and pale skin. He was the most famous singing star in all of England. At the moment, he was singing a Christmas Carol called 'O Christmas Tree'.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How lovey are thy branches.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How lovey are thy branches.

Yami's baritone voice filled the theater, bringing many to the edges of their seats, and others to tears, as they listened. Each note and word held them captivated.

You bloom with summer's fairest rose,

And in the winter's bitter snows.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How lovey are thy...

Yami began to sing scales with the next words, ending with a strong and loud, and yet soft and faint note.

Thy… thy… thy… branches.

Yami bowed as the crowd burst into applause. A young girl came forward with a bouquet of roses, and Yami accepted them graciously. Waving as the curtain closed, Yami smiled.

He was handsome, talented… and very much full of himself.

As soon as the curtains were close and he was concealed from the audience, Yami threw the roses aside with a sound of disgust. The bouquet hit the nearby piano, startling his 'Black Cat with White Tail'*, Kkwy**.

"I hate Christmas." Yami growled to Kywh. "Singing those insipid little carols every year. I am a classically trained singer, not some street urchin. I perform opera, Kkwy. Opera."

Kkwy meowed as he leaped off the piano and followed his master.

Off to the side and holding a tray of food, was a young boy who looked like Yami, but more gentle. He had pale skin, wide amethyst eyes, and spiky tri-colored hair with amethyst tips.

His name was Yugi, and had been Yami's friend since childhood. He now worked in the theater as a back-up singer and costume sewer.

"There, there, now Yami." Yugi soothed as he handed his friend, and boss, a cup of tea from the tray. "It's the last show of the holiday season, so you don't have to sing carols again until the holidays next year."

"Yes, you're right." Yami nodded and sipped his hot drink idly, a different thought popping up. "Where are the others?"

"Back in the rehearsal room." Yugi replied as Yami took a small crumpet from the tray. "They're waiting for you."

"Are they now?" Yami mused as he put the food and drink back down and headed towards where the rest of the theater's company were supposed to be.

"Where should I put this?" Yugi asked, knowing that sometimes Yami didn't want to finish the food and drink.

"My office." Yami replied as the two headed down the hall.

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly." Ryou, one of the minor singers and sewing helper, sang as he placed some holly above the fireplace. "Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la."

"Tis the season to be jolly." Bakura, a magician who specialized in scaring the adult crowd, added extremely gruffly as he pulled a Change of Heart and a Diabound ornament out of his pockets. "Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la."

"Dawn, we now, our gay apparel." Tea and Anzu, the twin dancers, sang out as they hung up more decorations. "Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la."

"Troll the ancient Yuletide carol." Pegasus, the last performer who specialized in riding on a unicycle and juggling, finished placing the mistletoe above his boss' door. "Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la."

Ryou smiled as he sat down at a sewing machine. Yugi had asked him to help sew for a project he was doing, and Ryou was more than happy to help as he watched the twins dance.

"See the blazing Yule before us." Tea and Anzu sang as they move with the rhythm of the Christmas song. "Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la."

"Strike the harp and join the chorus." Bakura glared as Pegasus sang with him. "Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la."

"Follow me in merry measure." Ryou sang as Tea and Anzu grabbed more ornaments from a box. "Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la."

"While I count the Yuletide treasure." everyone sang as the rest of the décor was put up.

"Fa, la, la, la, la." Ryou crooned as his spinning wheel hummed.

"Fa, la, la, la, la." Pegasus cheered as he tossed a handful of confetti into the air.

"Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la." everyone sang and giggled as the song finished.

"So Bakura…" Tea giggled as she tiptoed over with her twin.

"When are you going…" Anzu continued as she giggled.

"To ask him?" Tea and Anzu finished together.

"Ask who what?" Bakura growled as he put the ladder back.

"Come now, Bakura-boy." Pegasus smirked as Bakura growled at the annoying nick-name. "We all know you want to ask Ryou out on a date."

Bakura groaned. He thought he had kept that a secret. Since his face was buried in the closet, he missed Ryou giggling at the sight of him with a sprig of mistletoe above his head.

If Ryou had any courage, he would have gone over and kissed Bakura. But he didn't.

"If you want to ask him out, do it now." Pegasus instructed firmly. "Before we all leave for the Christmas holidays. Otherwise, out of sight, out of mind."

"Really?" Bakura rolled his eyes, but knew the silver haired juggler had a point.

"Yes, really." Pegasus nodded. "If I had waited to approach my dear Cecelia, I may have never married, and wouldn't be expecting my first child."

"How is Cecelia?" Tea asked.

"Is she okay?" Anzu added.

"Due any day now." Pegasus smiled at the thought of his wife.

"You're all mad." Bakura huffed and walked over towards Ryou.

Tea and Anzu looked at each other and giggled. They knew Bakura was going to take Pegasus' advice and ask Ryou out.

"Is everyone here?" Yami asked/demanded as he opened the door to the room, Yugi right behind him.

"Yes." Bakura replied, holding back his disappointment of being interrupted. "Could you please send Peggy-boy off before one of my magic knives finds a place between his ribs?"

"Don't call me Peggy-boy." Pegasus snapped as he fell off his unicycle.

"Ouch." Yugi flinched as the man picked himself up off the floor, and quickly went to place Yami's tea and crumpets in his office.

"So why is everyone waiting for me?" Yami asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Look around you Mr. Sennen." Pegasus replied as he stood up and gestured around him. "Look at the tree, the décor. It's Christmas Eve."

"We wanted to celebrate…" Tea picked up.

"Before going off on holiday." Anzu finished.

"Holiday?" Yami question as he took a step forward, frowning. "Who said anything about a holiday?"

"Excuse me?" Tea gasped.

"What?" Pegasus gaped.

"No!" Anzu wailed.

"No… holiday?" Yugi asked quietly as he shut the door to Yami's office.

"But it's…" Tea cried.

"Christmas!" Anzu wailed.

"I'm aware it's Christmas." Yami replied sourly. "Which means that there is only two weeks before you will get the privilege of being in Yami Sennen's new show. You should be begging to rehearse."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Pegasus shook his head. "This is an outrage! My wife is due to deliver any day."

"Yami, we can't work on Christmas." Tea said as she and Anzu stepped forward.

"We have people coming over." Anzu explained.

"There's a turkey to stuff."

"And pies to bake."

"Oh, we can't be here."

"Yami, please reconsider." Ryou asked as he knelt on the floor in front of his boss. "I'm begging you."

"You don't want to work on Christmas?" Yami asked. "You're not dedicated enough to this theater? Fine, stay home. But if you do, don't bother coming back. Ever."

With the declaration made, Yami went towards his office, but stumbled over Kkwy. The cat had caught sight of a bird Bakura used in his magic tricks and couldn't ignore his instincts.

Yugi glared at everyone as he hid their snickers behind their hands. The glared Yami sent over his shoulder silenced them, but it softened as he looked over at Yugi, the only one who hadn't laughed. Entering his office, Yami slammed the door shut.

Pegasus began ranting in the French tongue. Yugi blinked, not understanding a word he said, but knew it was directed to him.

"What?" Yugi sighed, having an idea what it was about.

"You need to talk to Yami." Pegasus explained.

"Uh…" Yugi looked put out at the notion.

"Please!" Tea begged. "You've known him forever."

"He listens to you." Anzu added.

"Fact is shrimp," Bakura huffed, "Yami doesn't make a move in this theater, not without talking to you first."

"You're the only one who can change his mind without getting us all fired." Ryou added.

"Right." Yugi nodded, remembering what he had planned for the holiday. "I'll try, but I don't give any guaranties."

Yugi opened the office door. Yami was sitting at his desk and sipping some tea. As Yugi shut the door, the man doubled over coughing.

"When was the last time you had your medicine?" Yugi asked as he moved to a cupboard in the room.

"I'm fine." Yami waved his hand dismissively. "Just a tickle in my throat."

"That's what you said two years ago." Yugi replied as he measured out the desired amount. "You ended up unable to perform until the end of spring after that 'tickle'."

"Alright." Yami sighed as took the medicine, making a terrible face after swallowing. "Vile stuff."

"But it keeps you alive." Yugi replied as he put everything away.

"I suppose everyone thinks I'm wrapped around your little finger." Yami said as Yugi finished and turned back. "I heard what they said out there. 'Yami doesn't make a move in this theater, not without talking to you first'."

"They're upset Yami." Yugi replied. "They had plans for Christmas. We had plans."

"We did?" Yami frowned as he glanced up from his papers.

"I asked you back in October if you would come with me back home to Domino." Yugi explained. "Everyone's coming, and that hasn't happened since we were kids. You said yes, but I guess you forgot."

"I don't recall you asking me anything of the sort." Yami replied.

"It was right after the Autumn Festival." Yugi prompted. "We had just finished locking up the theater."

"I still don't remember." Yami shook his head and went back to his work.

"I thought you knew how important this was to me." Yugi whispered as he turned back towards the door.

"What should be important to you, is me." Yami snapped, making Yugi stop. "When I was discovered, I could have had any costume designer in the world. And I chose you. I insisted on having my oldest friend. I did that."

"I know you did." Yugi replied, hiding how close he was to tears.

"But you don't care." Yami pressed. "But I expect that when push comes to shove, I know only one person whose truly there for me. Me."

"That's not true." Yugi gasped.

"It's like Uncle Aknadin always said, 'In a selfish world, the selfish succeed'." Yami continued, ignoring Yugi's protest.

"But it's not a selfish world." Yugi replied. "And do you really want to listen to what Uncle Aknadin said? I thought you hated him."

"My Uncle Aknadin was brilliant." Yami replied. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be standing here right now. And neither would you. But if you can't appreciate that, maybe you shouldn't work here anymore."

"You're threatening to fire me?" Yugi whispered.

"I've seen you working backstage, sewing things that aren't for the show." Yami hissed. "You even got Ryou in on it. I guess that working at the top theater in London isn't good enough for you. You had to pick up something on the side."

"What?" Yugi gasped. "No, that's not what you think."

"Then prove it and show some dedication." Yami demanded as he walked around Yugi. "Take down the tree, stop the carols, and get ready to work tonight, tomorrow, and all through the week. Anyone complains, anyone goes home, anyone breathes one word about Christmas, and they're out. Including you. Does everyone understand?"

Yami opened the door to find the rest of the theater company, excluding Bakura, leaned up against the door, eavesdropping. They all fell into the room.

"We understand." Ryou sighed as they all stood back up and turned away.

"What?" Yami asked as he caught sight of Yugi's sad eyes.

"You have no idea how sad it makes me to see you like this." Yugi whispered as he walked into the room, holding his head high. "Merry Christmas Yami."

"I said not to mention that word." Yami growled. "That is the last time I want to hear it!"

After the door slammed, Yugi collapsed in his chair and began to cry.

"I'm sorry Yugi." Ryou whispered as he held his friend close.

Secret told to Ryou and no one else, Yugi was in love with Yami. Not the sibling love, or best friend love, love, love.

Behind the door, Yami picked up Kkwy and sat back down behind his desk.

"Christmas." Yami growled. "Bah, humbug."

*Yes, this is a real Duel Monster.

**Egyptian word for darkness

MMMG: End of chapter 1.

Yami: I was an ass!

MMMG: That's your character, and no, I won't change it so Seto has that role.

Yugi: Will things get better?

MMMG: People have to review if they want to find out.

Yami and Yugi: Please review!