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SUBMISSION ENTRY: The Torn Hero
USERNAME: Unmentionable_Tamer
CHARACTERS INVOLVED: Arel, The Drunken Evergreen, & Hellma
BRIEF SUMMARY OF FEARFICTION: Torn between his love of Christmas and Halloween a lone demon must decide where his heart belongs.
ENTRY HERE:

Arel had been sent to ChristmasTown on an important secret mission. The object he retrieved was one of vital importance to the continuing battle again the evil Hunters. He entered Headmistress Shox’ office triumphant, but instead of the welcome of a hero all he got was…

“Well Princess Snowflake did you get it?!”

Arel tried not to cringe at the sound of Hellma’s screeching demand, he sighed and handed over the bright red bag. He hoped this would appease her and maybe get him out of having more duties thrown onto his capable but tired shoulders. The frost demon was the unsung hero of Amityville Academy always swooping in to rescue the students from the horrific situations they managed to get into. Was it so much to ask for a thank you? Perhaps the more respectful use of his Professor title from his peers? He watched Hellma dive in and then place the bag into a special locked drawer in her massive desk.

“Yes well, that will be all for now Snowflake, go deal with the newest applications!”

Not even a thank you, his heart sank a little, he loved Amity but sometimes it didn’t feel very much like it loved him back. The students showed as little respect for him as Hellma, except of course he could give the students detention. The power was nice, but it felt so hollow sometimes. He went and sat behind his rickety desk stacks of important papers shared space with paper planes made from colorful flyers. The paper planes consoled him, he slowly picked one up and examined it before giving it a flick and watching it soar through the air only to crash into the door and land in a crumpled heap.

How he wished he could be sent on more missions, how he longed for the door to stay open all the time, the door to ChristmasTown. All that snow and his special friend, it made him want to just stay th-no! No! He stopped his treacherous thoughts and swept an arm across the desk sending the paper planes to the ground along with a few applications. He sat down forcefully, cursing as his cushion went flat, and wriggled a bit to make him-self comfortable.

His mind drifted to his last visit to ChristmasTown and his mission partner, Greenie, who melted his heart.

~

The snow was probably one of the best parts; his legs sank into the cold white powder and piles of it formed all around him.

“Arel! You’re back!” A cheerful evergreen tree wriggled towards him drunkenly.

He didn’t even mind the pine needles that stuck to him as the tree hugged him close. Greenie was one of the only beings who ever actually addressed him properly. He hugged the cheerful evergreen back and then blushed and pulled back quickly picking the green needles off his clothes. If Hellma saw them he’d have to make up another story about being attacked.

Halloween was his home and he loved it, besides he wouldn’t last long without Fear, it was more than the incompatibility of Joy and Fear that kept him from staying in ChristmasTown. He had duties there, he was needed if not appreciated, and he would probably end up being the unsung savior of HalloweenTown someday. Still his mind wandered to the desire to stay in this winter wonderland.

“What are you after this time Arel?” Greenie asked working hard not to slur his words despite all the consumed Christmas Cheer.

“Top Secret Greenie, but I’ll need your help infiltrating the elves workplace. Just like last time…” Arel trailed off remembering the last time and hoping Greenie didn’t think he meant exactly like the last time.

“Eeee-ager to be *hic* back in an igloooo with me eh Arel?” Greenie cheerfully laughed his branches lightly toying with Arel’s antlers.

“Don’t be silly Greenie! This is important and that was…just an accident, I thought we agreed not to talk about it.” Arel quickly untangled his antlers from Greenie’s branches and cleared his throat trying not to stammer or blush.

The drunken tree just laughed and wriggled closer a moment before hopping off towards the elves. Arel watched appreciative for a second before following.

~

Arel was yanked out of his pleasant memories by the knock on the office door. He scowled and yanked his scarf up to hide his blush.

“Come in!” He watched the door open and tried to keep the scowl fixed on his face but deep down he felt such tender care for the students it was hard not to console them when they looked worried and afraid.

His heart cracked a little knowing that he and Greenie could never really have the kind of future he might dream of, he belonged in HalloweenTown.

“Oh Greenie” He whispered longingly.

“Excuse me Professor?”

“Detention!” He glared at the student hoping they hadn’t heard his whisper and tried not to grin at being addressed as Professor. Maybe one day they would finally given him the respect he deserved, maybe someday they would all see in him what Greenie did.