Sweet Dreams

7)"Take My Hand,Its Your Special Day.So Smile!"

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"I'm back auntie!".

Niki smiles from the counter,eyeing the package Michael was beginning to stuff into his bag.She turns her attention back to her own packaging,a request from the younger boy;twenty chocolate chip cookies,packed in a pastel schemed box.

They exchanged a few words,mostly cryptic from Michael and some mirthful responses from Niki;before the boy takes his order and says his goodbye to auntie Niki,as the cookies were already paid earlier.

With one final check of his surroundings,Michael sets off into the forest.He had memorised the way through the thick trees like it was written on the back of his hand and knew how to carefully traverse into it,and that included the nether.He quickens his pace,the excitement in his body was already slipping into view.

He grins as he jumps over some roots and bushes,mentally thanking the three years of visiting his uncle Tommy.The quickest he managed to get to his cottage was about fifteen minutes and Michael was determined to get a new record for it.

What was that called again?

Speedrunning?

Yeah,he's going to speedrun the time it usually takes to get to uncle Tommy's cottage!Michael should start finding short cuts if he wants to beat his current fifteen minute record.

But not now.

Not when he hops into a portal and runs through the burning dimension,only to hop out of there later on.

Not when the better looking path greets him once more and he knows he's definitely closer.

Not when he finally hears the animals calling and joyful giggles.

His smile impossibly widened;his legs carrying him towards the sound,outside the trees,and finally before a stone path that led to a wooden cottage in the middle of a clearing.The building had gotten a little bigger,as uncle Tommy needed to make a few adjustments as the years went by.

There was a pond right next to it,water lilies hiding the little fishes living in there.Flowers and bushes surrounded the cottage,ranging from dandelions to alliums to roses.A large tree stood next to the building,a single swing attached on one of its branches.

There was a lot he wanted to look at again,but a certain white haired girl caught his attention.

She sat on the steps of the porch,her focus on a single allium she poked at.Her red and black eyes glances at him and she immediately shifts her focus on him,ears flickering up.Her hair bounced around her shoulders;it was curled,some strands sticking out at random angles.She grins brightly as she got up,calling out to him;

"Mikey!!!!"

"Clara!!!"

Michael catches Clara and with all of his seven year old might,lifts her off the ground  in a tight hug.They laughed,spinning in place as Michael's tail wraps around Clara's own small,fluff ball tail.He puts her down,chuckling with how pink tinted her freckled cheeks were.

"You made it!",she cheered,holding onto Michael's torso in a cuddle.

Michael grins back at her,"Of course I came,buns!",he ruffles her hair,minding her ears,"Its your special day after all!".