[CH.007] Daniel’s Return

Christmas preparations are in full effect. Snow is starting to fall, which is rare nowadays for an obvious reason. Steve, Alex, Ruby and Daniel had finished setting up the tree. The end result being as beautiful as the Spruce Forest back on the OverWorld, but with more decorations.

The Christmas tree was finished and standing tall and proud in their living room in the corner. The showstopper of the tree is the rather awkward decision to use a light-up block as the tree topper instead of a star.

"It's a beautiful reminder of our past on the OverWorld," Daniel explained to everyone after plugging the light into the wall outlet behind the tree.

And now, about a half an hour after finishing the tree decorating, Steve and Alex were sitting on the couch by the front window. The window was foggy due to the temperatures being vastly different inside and outside.

"It's weird," Ruby said with an unsatisfied look on her face, "why can't we have an Angel like last year?"

"This year is different," Alex said as she looked down at Ruby with a faint smile on her face.

She was a bit taken aback by that response. She looked over at Daniel, who was in the Kitchen making some spiked eggnog for himself, Steve and Alex and another for a guest who's still on their way over.

The tv was on mute in the background. As any parent does nowadays, the news channel was on. The headline being reported on was:

An ABC News Chopper Crashes in N.J Forest

"I'll finish the eggnog after we get little Ruby here off to bed," Daniel said as he looked down at Ruby.

"You broke my parents," Ruby snarked at Daniel as she rolled her eyes and stormed down the hallway and into her bedroom.

"Apparently we're broken and it's your fault?" Steve and Alex both chuckled as they walked out into the kitchen to grab their glass of eggnog.

"It's past her bedtime anyways," Alex told Daniel, "think you could tell her another story tonight?"

Daniel licked his spoon clean as he pulled it out of his mouth. He walked over to the sink to put it down in it. Turning around, he walked back over to the counter where Steve and Alex were standing.

"If my words have any bearing, I think a sibling could rectify her arrogance," Daniel suggested.

Steve and Alex both looked over at him with complete seriousness in their eyes, and both said "NO!"

"It was just a suggestion," Daniel chuckled as he took a sip of eggnog. He exhaled after taking a drink.

"The demon calls me," he told them, "time to tell the little ghoul a story."

RING! The doorbell chimed. Steve and Alex looked over at the front door, seeing a blurry figure standing outside. Daniel took a sip of his eggnog and took another.

"Ah, to hay with it," he said as he downed his entire cup. He sets it down, then proceeds on to walk down the hallway and into Ruby's room.

"Ready for another story, demon child?" Daniel said as he walked over to her bed.

"Yes!" Ruby said as she perked and sat up.

"What story will it be tonight?" Daniel asked as he glanced over at Ruby. "You choose."

"Oh, oh, oh. I got one," Ruby said with a raised voice.

"That one about the Titanic."

"What's a Titanic?" Daniel replied, perplexed and confused. Ruby giggled as she covered her face with her blanket.

"No, you dumb-head!" Ruby joked and giggled.

"Which one then?" Daniel questioned.

THUD!

BANG!

Daniel looked up and over at her closet. Something or someone was in there.

"You heard that too, right?" Daniel asked.

"What's in there?" Ruby asked, "it's not my cat, Emmett. He never comes into my room."

Whatever it is, Daniel had no clue. He and Ruby both stared at the closet. Daniel didn't see Ruby grabbing a pillow. She tossed it at him.

"HEY!" Daniel growled sarcastically as he laughed alongside her.

"Don't be a wuss, go see what it is!" Ruby said as she pointed over at the closet.

Steve and Alex both came into the bedroom to see what was happening. Daniel walked over to the closet and retracted the doors. He moved hanging clothes out of the way, to reveal an anomaly. Similar to the one that he came through last time.

"Daniel!" Phineas shouted happily. He pulled his back through the anomaly.

"Alright, who let the tiny people into our house?" Steve asked.

"Woah, tiny people? Where?" Henry asked as he peaked around the corner and through the doorway.

"Daniel, if you can hear me, the OverWorld needs you. We won't have a Christmas if you don't come back," Leona telepathically explained to Daniel. Only he could hear her voice, no one else could.

"Why me?" Daniel asked.

"Who's the nuthead talking to?" Henry asked.

"It has to be you and only you," Leona answered, "we need a leader and that leader has to be you! I'll explain once you get back. Please Daniel, the OverWorld needs you!"

"Okay, I'll come back," Daniel said, "but this is the last time."

"What'd you guys put in this eggnog?" Henry asked as he lifted the glass to smell it and look at the eggnog in it.

"I have to go back," Daniel said, "the OverWorld needs their hero."

"Then we're coming too," Steve told Daniel.

"A hero needs back up, right? Count me in," Alex said.

"Henry, can you watch—?" Steve asked as he turned around.

"Sure. I'll help myself to another glass of whatever this stuff is while I wait," he told Steve and Alex.

Daniel glanced over at Ruby.

"Don't fall asleep on me. This'll definitely be a good story to tell when we get back," Daniel said with a smile.

He then turned around and walked into the closet and through the anomaly. Steve and Alex both followed after him.

And so it was, Daniel will return to the OverWorld one last time to be the hero he always has been.

"Who's that?" Frankie asked.

Miss Claus pulled Thomas back away from the portal…just in case the person coming through wasn't a good one.

"No. Freaking. Way!" Phineas said as his mouth dropped. "It's him!"

"Who's him?" Frankie asked.

"That's Daniel!" Miss Claus said in shock. "Didn't expect to see you again, your majesty."

"I'm no King," Daniel told Miss Claus. "Haven't been for years."

Thomas and Aurora ran up to him and both gave him a hug. Something he wasn't expecting.

"I've always wanted to meet you, Sir," Thomas said as he looked up at Daniel.

"Here, Leona said you'd need these," Miss Claus said as she handed Daniel chain armor and an iron sword. He grabbed the chain armor, but wasn't ecstatic about it.

"This armor rips like paper," Daniel told her. "An iron sword isn't bad, but my weapon-of-choice."

"It's the best we could do under current circumstances," Miss Claus reminded.

"Then, in that case, it'll have to do," he said with a subtle smile. He put the armor on.

Steve and Alex came through the anomaly. Thomas and Aurora gasped and squealed.

"Oh my gosh, it's—" Thomas began saying.

"Steve and Alex," Aurora finished, "you're like 300 years old, aren't you?"

"Who told you that?" Alex asked followed by a chuckle.

"Read it in a book a while back," Thomas said as he mentally thought to himself for a moment. Steve & Alex's Story was the title of it I think."

"Steve. Alex," Daniel said from a short distance ahead, "we have other matters to tend to."

"Let's put a pin in it and come back to it later, yeah?" Steve said with a smile as he rubbed Thomas' head with his hand.

"Hey! He didn't rub my head," Aurora said with a frown.

"Thought you didn't like boy cooties?" Thomas asked as he grinned at Aurora.

The stage is set for an epic battle.

"Hey god man," Daniel said, "trying to focus here."

Oh sorry. I'll be quiet.

"It's okay," Daniel responded.

"Who are you talking to now?" Alex asked.

The light from outside was coming into view. He had his sword resting on his shoulder. As they neared the exit of the cave, their eyesight started adjusting to the bright light.

"You don't hear the god man?" Daniel asked as he looked back at them.

"Just breathe, Daniel," Steve said.

"Yeah, what he said," Phineas said.

YELP!

"Oh god, a tiny blockhead!" Alex said.

"Hey!" Phineas said as he hit her leg, "I'm an elf!"

"You're still tiny," Alex said as she stuck her tongue out.

Outside, an army waited for their leader to emerge from the cave. When they saw the light reflecting off of his sword, they erupted into cheering, clapping, and shouting.

"You're really popular around here," Steve said.

"I am their hero after all," Daniel responded.

"That you are, my friend. That, you are."

Leona flew down from the sky and landed next to Daniel. He smiled as he held his arm out to give her a hug.

"Thank you Daniel," she whispered into his ear as they hugged, "truly."

"I guess I can be a hero to two worlds," Daniel whispered back.

"That you can," Leona said. "Now go lead us to another victory and save Christmas!"