Void Jumpers Christmas Special!

(This Short Story takes place after the events of Void Jumpers: Volume 2: By Wings of Chaos, and as a result contains MAJOR SPOILERS... read at your own risk...)

"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the lab, not a Quantum was stirring, not even a... Keenan?"

"That didn't rhyme," Daquan Quantum mumbled, resting on the couch. "And you are stirring. A lot," he complained, hiding his head beneath a pillow.

Keenan Quantum grumbled. "You interrupted my story." He rocked back and forth in a creaky old chair, dressed in a bright red suit with matching top hat, a green tie and green converse, and his mustache - dyed a snowy white.

"This is the twenty second time you've tried to start your stupid story, I want to sleep."

"Well, I don't know the story yet. I'm trying to start one!" Keenan complained as he looked off to a random spot in the room. "And it seems like we finally have an audience, which means..."

A knock echoed at the door of the Quantums' lab.

"Twenty-second time's the charm!" Keenan yelled excitedly as he burst from the chair and stumbled to the door, flinging it open with a powerful slam that sucked the air out of the night sky, swirling snow about.

Pel Ironleaf covered their face and recoiled, startled by the excited entrance. "By the Elders!" they exclaimed. "Keenan, what the Hells are you..." they stared at him.

"Why do you look like that?" Cora, sitting on Pel's shoulder, asked with the click of her claws.

"It's Christmas Eve," Keenan answered, swiftly placing a tiny Santa hat on Cora's shell, and a blue one on Pel's head.

Pel stared, not understanding.

"Are you seriously telling me that neither of your worlds have Christmas?" Keenan asked.

Pel and Cora continued staring, confused.

"Winter celebrations?" Keenan squeaked, choking up at the thought of a world without Christmas. "Anything?" he peeped.

"What's winter?" Cora asked.

Pel glanced over at Cora. "Yes, Elderia has winter customs. All of which include fighting for survival in the harsh months of cold... Nothing quite this... colorful."

"Okay, you guys have to come inside, whatever you were visiting for in the first place, forget it, this is way more important." Keenan ushered the Elf and Crab inside.

Daquan sat up on the couch and groaned. Keenan rambled on about the lore of Earth's Christmas traditions. Pel only picked up on a few scattered details, like, "Santa... Reindeer... Capitalism..."

As Keenan rambled, Pel looked around in awe. Eleven stockings were draped overtop the fireplace, labeled Daquan, Keenan, Amber, Pel, Cora, Kora, Veebee, Calathorn, Owag, Steven, Jerry & Exit, and Rando. A towering Pine tree was pressed in the corner, decorated in strings of colorful flickering lights, family pictures, plush Pokémon, LEGO Minifigures, and little Funky Squares. Tons and tons of presents were packed haphazardly under and around the tree, waiting to be opened. Pel squinted. The usual names were listed, like Pel, and Calathorn, but there were a lot more gifts - all labeled: Price Crab, Skyrunner, Brightshell, Clearwater, Nolo-Ego, a box labeled for 'Opal and all the beetles,' Bonsai, Vacktor, countless gifts, seemingly for every single Void Jumper.

"But it's all made up, of course," Keenan chuckled at the conclusion to his Christmas lore-dump. "Did you know that Daquan believed in Santa Claus until he was 14! How stupid!"

"Hey!" Daquan yelled.

Pel smiled. "You know, Keenan, if every story told is real..."

"GASP!" Keenan gasped over-dramatically. "WAIT SANTA IS REAL! HOW HAVE I NOT CONSIDERED THIS!?"

"Who's stupid now?" Daquan grumbled.

"Still you, he's not real in our universe... I think..."

Cora tugged at Pel's cape. She darted her eyestalks back at the door.

"Keenan, we really have to get down to business. We're here for a reason."

"Right, the plot. What's up?"

"Follow us." Pel gestured back for the door as they retrieved a Cloud Compass from their pocket. The Void Jumpers passed through the door, into the vast circular hall of The Everywhere. Countless Void Jumpers rushed about, hard at work. It had been a few months since the chaos of Kagloss had settled - but the chaos of progress in the new Everywhere had not calmed, only grown. Pel, Cora, and Keenan approached the glass at the edge of the Everywhere, and stared up into the Nova-Storm at a massive project, under construction.

The skeleton of another Void Station floated in the storm. The frame of a circular hall surrounded an orange central cube - different from the blue cube at the center of the Everywhere. Pel retrieved blueprints from their pocket, unfolded it, and held it up to the glass, comparing it to the construction.

"It won't be too far off until the build itself is done, but, the internals..."

"I know, I'm still researching," Keenan said. "I have no idea how to get my hands on some Dark Matter... Or if doing that is even possible. Like, our current understanding of Astrophysics isn't really compatible with the idea of like... getting some Dark Matter... It's more of a vaguely-defined concept than a physical material... But the Time Machine needs it, I guess... How the hell did the Sentinel do that..."

"Yeah, can't really get Dark Matter at the store..." Cora clicked.

"Progress has slowed besides that, though," Keenan added, "On account of the holidays."

"I thought researching this Time Machine was your top priority?" Pel asked.

"Not when it's Christmas!" Keenan jabbed. "I've gotta get presents for everybody! Family first!"

"Isn't Daquan your only family?" Pel asked.

Keenan tilted his head. An amused grin crept over his face. He chuckled, then gestured around him at the bustling Void Station. "Family's more than blood, Ironleaf. There are nearly six hundred Void Jumpers on this station - Latalus volunteers, beetles and swarmers, rescued Nolo and stow-away pirates. All of them are my family. So, as you can imagine, I'm fairly busy."

"Is it Christmas already?" a friendly voice interrupted. Rando the bear approached Keenan, gesturing to his gaudy outfit.

"Assuming it's winter in every universe..." Keenan shrugged.

"Winter ended three months ago in Elderia," Pel said.

"In August?" Keenan recoiled.

"Who is August?" Pel's face contorted with confusion.

Rando counted his claws, mouthing math to himself as he struggled to add single digits. "Oh man... It is December back home... I thought I'd be back by now..." He growled, looking down at his paws dejectedly. "Actually, I thought I'd be dead. But you guys saved me, so then I thought I'd be home..."

"Aw, man. I'm sorry, bud." Keenan patted the bear on the shoulder. "Does no one have a lead on his home, still?" Keenan asked.

"We thought we could track the coordinates stored in the interview tablet, but something was wrong with the data," Cora said. "It was a false start."

"Damn." Keenan snapped. "Maybe we can hope for a Christmas miracle..."

An announcement blared across the entire Everywhere, shaking the ground and sending ripples through the fluid glass canopy, "MAN YOUR STATIONS!" Captain Calathorn yelled. "DIMENSION PIRATES ABOVE US!"

Keenan and Pel's heads darted upward.

"I thought we were done with all the fighting..." Pel muttered.

Keenan unhooked a blade from his pants, and he ignited it. A blazing green light sword pierced through the air with a loud hum.

Pel raised their brow at it.

"Purple wasn't festive..." Keenan said. "Borrowed a light sword from a Yedi..."

Pel frowned at Keenan.

"Stole... I stole it..." Keenan looked down.

Nolo fighters rushed across the station to their SCSs, readying themselves for combat - a feeling still fresh in their minds.

Pel rushed with Cora to the ELF, docked at the side of the station, but as they did, Keenan stared above. In the distance of the storm, a ship approached. Keenan tilted his head at it. The ship wasn't nearly as big as the Tempest Blight was. There's no way it could sustain an entire pirate crew. In fact, as the ship came closer, it seemed not only small, but comically small.

Keenan put away his blade and rushed to Calathorn, piloting the Everywhere with Owag on her shoulder. "Hey, are we sure that's a threat?" Keenan asked.

"Ew, why do you look like that?" Calathorn asked.

"Rude," Keenan scoffed as he retrieved a tiny Santa hat from his jacket pocket.

"They're pirates, partner," Owag cooed. "Course it's a threat!"

"Are we sure they're pirates?" Keenan asked, placing the little hat on Owag.

"How could they not be?" Calathorn scoffed.

"Uh, I don't know, because the Multiverse is infinitely vast, and we can't possibly claim to know everything for certain? You ever thought about that?"

A distant guttural laugh echoed through the storm, "Yo-ho-ho!"

"See," Calathorn gestured. "Pirate."

"Wait..." Keenan listened closer. "Wait, wait, wait..."

Very faintly, a distant sound rang in Keenan's ears. Jingling bells...

Keenan hopped up and down, shaking his hands. He squealed.

Calathorn stared at him, disgusted.

"SANTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Keenan screamed. He ran as fast as he had ever run before, straight for the glass of the station, and he dove, shattering through the glass, and tumbling into the storm. He flicked out his wrist, creating a Funky Square to land on, and he rushed beneath the station, to where the Mach Ba-Boat was docked.

SCSs zoomed around the storm, forming themselves into a defensive position around the Everywhere, ready for anything. Gigabyte, the giant guardian Shardigrade of the Void Jumpers, also positioned himself defensively, in front of the station.

Keenan, on the other hand, zoomed toward the approaching ship.

Pel stared through the glass of the ELF at the Mach Ba-Boat. "What the Hells is he doing?"

"Being Keenan," Cora clicked.

Pel nodded. "I suppose. You know, if I didn't know any better... I'd say I have hunch this isn't about to be a fight scene..." They pushed forward on the accelerator and followed after him.

As Keenan approached, his jaw dropped. "No way..."

Before him, a pirate-ship-shaped-sleigh was pulled by nine very strange creatures. They appeared like Manta Rays, with six-foot wingspans, and long whip-like tails, glowing purple with electric energy, like the tendrils of a Time Jelly. The creatures were colored like Funky Squares, light blue on top, muted orange on the belly, and, on those bellies, stubby little arms, just like a Shardigrade, though, just two, not eight. They blinked with the same two stupid-looking bulbous eyes of Shardigrades, however. The species were clearly related.

"Funky Rays..." Keenan gasped. "Funky Fish? Rays... Shardiray... Raydigrade? Funky Rays..."

The rays pulled the sleigh-ship with harnesses adorned with little jingle bells. They flew up, turning the ship to meet side-by-side with Keenan. Keenan rubbed his eyes in disbelief. He lowered the canopy of the Mach Ba-Boat and stood up. "You're not Santa! Imposter!"

The pilot of the sleigh chuckled. "Yo-ho-ho! Who else would I be, lad? Captain Braggs Santa of the Christmas Night, of course..." the creature uttered. He floated with a long tail, curled up behind him. Braggs Santa held the reigns in his tiny hands. He wore what one would expect of Santa - a red coat lined with white fur, a Santa hat to match, sat atop his boomerang-shaped head, and a big bulky black leather belt, with an appropriately large gold belt buckle.

Pel pulled up beside Keenan, and lowered their canopy as well. "Braggs!?"

"Ohhh..." Keenan snapped. "OH! Opposite counterpart!"

"Spot on, boyo. Where a pirate steals..."

"You give... Dude... I am over the moon right now, this is... This is a dream come true..."

"What is your purpose here?" Pel asked.

"Why, Holiday cheer, o' course! It's Christmas Eve 'round this part of the storm, aren't it?"

"Wait..." Keenan thought about it. "You're... Multiverse Santa... So like, how does that work?"

Braggs Santa raised his arm, about to speak, but Keenan interrupted him. "Oh, wait! So, like how Santa goes around to every house in the night to drop off presents, you go to every universe in the night!"

"How?" Pel asked. "That's not possible, the Multiverse is infinite..."

"Yer close, lad. I've been delivering gifts my whole life." Braggs Santa gestured to a massive bag, tied and stored behind him. "I visit every universe precisely once - and I give one gift for the whole of that universe. And, the storm being infinite and all, my job will never end. Ain't that right, fellas?" Braggs shook the reigns, jingling the bells.

The Funky Rays all danced in place, singing a strange cry. "Doot doot doot!"

"Oh..." Keenan stared, mesmerized by the beautiful creatures. "I need one..."

Pel and Cora stared in disbelief at the stranger who so closely resembled a former enemy. Pel whispered to Cora, "I don't think I'll ever get used to this Multiverse stuff..."

"Have you been to EQS-169?" Keenan asked Braggs. "That's where I'm from!"

"Not that I recall, no." Braggs thought about it, scratching under his chin. "Perhaps, if you prove nice enough, my gift to that universe could be delivered to you, personally."

Keenan stared, wide eyed, frozen - too shocked to even make a clever remark.

"Have you been to Elderia?" Pel asked.

"Ohhh-ho-ho..." Braggs chortled, holding his rotund belly. "I've been to many. They all get the same gift - a seed of a star-tree, planted at the heart of the Elflands. It blooms in winter - assuring even the darkest months yield fruit."

"By the Elders!" Pel yelled. "That's been there for eons!"

"Then it seems I have been to your universe! No gift for you then, sadly. Once per, that's the rule."

"Well, what about a gift for the Void Jumpers?" Cora suggested. "The storm itself is sort of our universe..."

"I already gave the Void Jumpers a gift, long, long ago..."

"That wasn't us!" Cora argued. "They probably just coincidentally had the same name!"

"Please don't speak of coincidences," Pel said sharply.

"Right."

"Wait, so why are you here then? Here specifically, I mean," Keenan asked. "It couldn't just be a coincide-- a uh. I mean. It couldn't. Um."

"What's the matter with coincidences?" Braggs wondered.

"Butterfly related trauma," Keenan explained. "It's a whole thing. Hey, so, hypothetically, if I wanted Dark Matter for Christmas, is that like. Within your wheelhouse?"

Braggs blinked. "What?"

"Never mind, I just assumed, cosmically powerful gifting being- I don't... never mind."

Braggs scratched his head. "Well uh. Sure. But uh, I should really be going now. I do have gifts to be delivering. I'll be on my way, if you don't mind."

"Wait!" Keenan jumped.

Braggs flinched.

"You must know of the locations of a lot of universes... could you help us help a friend? Poor Rando down there has been missing from his home for months, and we haven't been able to find it... He wants to see his friends for Christmas..."

"Hmm..." Braggs scratched under his chin with his stubby arm. "Perhaps... introduce me to this friend of yours... I'll see what I can do."

Skrrrshhk!

A radio transmission cut through to the ELF, "Ironleaf, what is going on up there?"

"Uh..." Pel thought about how best to explain.

Cora radioed in, "False alarm. We're not under attack. We've got a visitor..."

The SCSs surrounding the Everywhere flew back to the docks under the bagel-shaped station, and Gigabyte hummed with dismay. He had actually been hoping for some combat so he could show off his newfound power and size. Maybe next time.

Keenan flew the Mach Ba-Boat down to the station, escorting Santa into the main hall - dissolving a portion of the fluid glass canopy to allow easy entrance.

"Yo-ho-ho!" Braggs Santa greeted the many Void Jumpers with a hearty laugh.

Amber Velo approached, with Steven by her side. Jerry and Doctor K. sat on Steven's shoulders, and Exit followed close behind.

"What's this?" Steven asked.

Calathorn marched over, stomping her bee-stinger peg-leg on the ground. Owag perched on her shoulder. "What am I looking at?"

Rando turned away from a conversation with Veebee, and laid eyes on the jolly creature parked in the station. "YOU!" he growled angrily. He dropped down to all fours and bolted toward Captain Braggs Santa. "I'M GOING TO MAUL YOU TO DEATH!"

"Rando wait!" Keenan leapt from the boat, ready to stop the charging 600 pound beast. "Wait a minute..." Keenan thought as the bear lunged toward him. "I'm going to die."

Veebee tackled Rando out of the way, pinning him to the ground.

Braggs hid in his sleigh as his Funky Rays protected him.

"Sorry..." Pel groaned, pinching their nose. "You look a lot like a pirate that kept Rando imprisoned in his menagerie."

"I see." Braggs sniffled nervously.

"Let me at him!" Rando roared.

"Dude, it's okay, this guy's not Braggs Slippy, he's Braggs Santa. He can help you find your way home!"

"Santa?" Rando asked, loosening up. "Like from Christmas?"

Veebee reluctantly let him go, slowly stepping away.

"Yeah, buddy." Keenan nodded with an amused smile. "Like from Christmas."

Santa floated over to Rando. "Rando the bear..." Braggs retrieved a massive book from his coat, and he flipped through the pages, which sparkled with magic, as if they generated right before his eyes.

Keenan was distracted, playing with the friendly Funky Rays. "There's an intelligence in their stupid eyes," Keenan muttered to himself.

"Doot doot doot!"

Santa stopped a page and pointed with his slimy webbed hand. "Any humans in your world, Mr. Rando?"

"No, no, no. My best friend is an ear of corn, my boss is a frog, we've got a penguin as an intern, that's pretty notable."

Santa flipped through a few pages, more methodically this time. "Ah-ha, I see. I don't think I've visited your universe, and it's cluster is not too far off my current route."

"Wait, you can just find universes that easily?" Pel asked.

"You should be a Void Jumper!" Doctor K. suggested.

"I'm a busy man!" Santa argued. "I've got Christmas to attend to! Every night! Forever!"

"Can we have that book at least?" Cora asked.

"No!"

"Guys, don't antagonize the Multiversal Santa," Keenan jumped in. "He see's you when you're sleeping, he know's when you've been bad or good."

"What?" Santa turned around. "No I don't, that sounds creepy!"

"Oh so you're not like. One-to-one."

"Wait, why is Santa spying on children?" Pel asked Keenan. "You weren't too clear on that point."

"I don't..." Veebee interjected. "I don't know what's happening."

"You and me both, partner," Owag cooed.

"Guys, I want to go home." Rando growled.

"I can lead the way," Santa said. "You'll be home before Christmas morning."

Rando clapped. "Oh, thank you!"

Santa whipped the reigns.

"Doot doot doot!" his Rays cried.

"Yo-ho-ho! Follow me!" The sleigh bolted out of the station, and flew alongside Gigabyte. Calathorn rushed to the wheel, confused, but eager to help Rando.

In the months since the Void Jumpers rescued Rando from Braggs Slippy, they had grown fond of him. Pel looked over at the bear. "I'm going to miss you, friend."

Rando plopped himself down by the wheel, and stared out of the glass at Santa's sleigh, leading the way. He scratched his head, beneath his headband and sighed a deep, long sigh. "I've been thinking..." Rando said. "When I do get home, do you think Steven could make one of those doors? Besides missing my friends, I uh... I've kinda liked Void Jumping. I solve crimes with my buddy back home. I think it'd be cool to do some more good out in the big world..." Rando waved his paw across the view of the Nova-Storm.

Pel smiled. "The Multiverse needs more good hearts like yours. We'd be glad to keep you on."

Rando smiled.

The Everywhere flew through the storm on a steady pace, following the cheerful Captain Braggs Santa aboard the Christmas Night. As they traveled, Keenan Quantum stood on a countertop and regaled the Void Jumpers with classic Christmas tales - including a scene-for-scene verbal recreation of the Rankin/Bass Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer TV Special.

Pel smiled, looking around them at all the Void Jumpers. Princess Calathorn and Owag shared a Hot Cocoa. Amber Velo leaned on Steven's shoulder. Cora and Kora crunched down on Candy Canes. Veebee curled up like a tired old dog, sitting beside a heater and a big screen playing a 10-hour loop of a fireplace. Daquan helped move the Quantums' Christmas Tree into the station through the dimensional doors, and Rando helped move all the presents. Stow-away pirates mingled with Nolo, repairing their long-standing feud. Rift Swarmers helped hang up lights with their beetle friends.

Keenan was right. This was family.

Santa smiled cheerfully as he swayed his boomerang head about, dancing to the jingle of the sleigh's bells. But, he stopped, very suddenly. He leaned forward, squinting. "Uh oh..." He leaned forward and yelled, "Ray 1, go warn the jolly fellow, will you! We've got a problem!"

"Doot doot doot!" the Funky Ray leading the pack let go of the reigns with his tiny arms, and flipped around, swimming through the storm, and bolting into the Everywhere. It whipped its electric tail and shattered the glass, giving it an opening to flip through and tackle Keenan to the ground, knocking him off the countertop.

"Keenan!" Pel bolted upright, igniting their Quantum Blade.

"Doot doot doot!" the ray cried. "Doot doot doot!"

"What's that?" Keenan groaned, rubbing his head and readjusting his festive red Top Hat. "Little Timmy fell down the well?"

"Doot doot doot!"

Keenan rubbed his eyes and looked up out of the glass. "Oh... I don't like that..."

The Void Jumpers all looked ahead of them. Up in the storm was a massive swirling plot hole, completely wrapped in an ethereal webbing. At the center of the intricate web, blocking the plot hole was a truly massive Void Station sized Worm Weaver... a disgusting super-powered black spider with a head on either side of its body, clinging to the edge of the entrance to a universe.

"Doot doot doot!"

The Everywhere erupted with gasps and shouts and screams. The Void Jumpers scrambled in fear.

"That's Rando's universe," Keenan gulped.

"What!?" Rando shouted.

Santa waved from his sleigh, gesturing to the plot hole. That was definitely their destination.

Pel stood up, dusted themself off, and readied their blade. "We've dealt with giant insects before..."

Keenan coughed, "Arachnid!"

"I don't imagine a drawn out fight with another would be very interesting, would it?" Pel suggested to Keenan.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Void Jumpers!" Pel yelled, gaining the attention of the entire station. "It's montage time..."

Keenan blared an over-the-top remixed rendition of 'Carol of the Bells' from the loudspeakers of the Everywhere, and at once the Void Jumpers jumped into action.

SCSs launched through the storm, swirling around one another. Rando ran to the edge of the station, jumped out of the glass, front flipped, and landed atop Gigabyte.

Keenan patted the Funky Ray on the head. "Hey. Creature I just met, do you trust me?" he asked.

"Doot doot doot!"

Keenan stood on the back of the ray, and pointed ahead with the ignition of his light sword. "YEAAAAHHH-HA-HA!"

Pel launched into the storm in the ELF.

Steven and Velo ran into the storm, jumping across Funky Squares - Veebee, Calathorn, and Owag closely followed.

The giant spider screeched. Green energy warbled off it, sending pulsing waves of oppressive energy through the storm. SCSs dodged and bombarded the creature with energy blasts.

The spider launched itself from the web directly at Gigabyte.

Gigabyte tackled the creature with his mouth wide open, biting down as the spider wrapped its eight legs around the giant Shardigrade. Rando leapt from the Tark and landed on one of the spider's faces. He tore his claws into the spider's eyes and ripped away, roaring.

SKREEEEE!!!!!!!

An army of Worm Weavers burst from the webs, blasting themselves into the storms, flinging their way onto ships and Void Jumpers.

Jumpers in the storm made quick work - Calathorn stabbed with her blade, and Owag fired away with his gun-arm.

Steven and Velo danced around weavers, chopping off their heads with their sword and axe.

Keenan surfed through the storm atop the Funky Ray. "Rando!" he called out. He dissipated his light sword and tossed the handle at Rando. Rando caught it, ignited the green blade, and stabbed it into the spider's forehead.

"Yo-ho-ho!" Santa cheered. He jumped from his sleigh, dual wielding a Candy Cane sword and marshmallow gatling gun. He flew the storm with ease, shooting at spiders. The marshmallows stuck to their eyes, and promptly exploded.

Pel jumped from the ELF, allowing Cora to take over. They landed on the giant spider, next to Rando. Keenan dropped off the ray and joined them, and Santa descended from above to join as well. They ran up to the back of the spider. Keenan and Pel fought back to back, fighting off a swarm of Worm Weavers. Rando cut a circle with the light sword, exposing a hole into the spider.

"Take this!" Santa yelled as he tossed the marshmallow gatling gun to Rando. "Merry Christmas!"

Rando ripped at the strange cosmic flesh of the giant spider, digging a hole to the center of the beast.

The spider jabbed a leg into Gigabyte's gills.

"PEW!" Gigabyte screamed. Blue energy burst from his gills, slicing the leg of the spider off. It loosened its grip, and Gigabyte retreated.

Rando, standing in the center of a cavern of flesh, roared as he spun around, shooting marshmallows all over.

"Get out of there, lad!" Santa called from above. "The candy's gonna blow!"

Keenan turned around, looking over Pel's shoulder as they fought back to back. "Flip me!"

Pel interlocked arms with Keenan and leaned forward, flipping him over their back. Keenan rolled to the entrance of the wound. "Doot doot doot!" he called out, mimicking the cry of the Funky Ray. He rolled into the flesh, and landed on Rando's shoulders.

"Let me be!" Rando yelled. "I'm sacrificing myself to save my friend's universe!"

"Not on Christmas you're not!" Keenan declared as he raised his hands.

The Funky Ray descended from above, offering its stubby arms to Keenan. Keenan grabbed hold, and the Ray pulled him and Rando up.

Pel flicked out their wrist, created a square, jumped from it, and landed back in the Elf. Santa flew away. The ray carried Keenan and Rando away just in time before--

KA-BOOM!!!!!

The giant spider exploded, spraying cosmic juice, disgusting energy, and melted marshmallow across the Nova-Storm, splattering all over the glass of the Everywhere.

"You're so awesome!" Keenan yelled to the ray, patting his head. "I didn't think that would work!"

The Void Jumpers recollected at the Everywhere, picking off the remaining spiders.

Gigabyte cleared the webs away from the plot hole.

"Nasty buggers, the lot of 'em!" Santa complained as he cleaned up his sleigh, parked in the Everywhere. "Those spiders are the worst thing out in the storm, I tell you. That's why I stay as far away from the Broken Universe as I can... Those dim-witted Dimension Pirates could learn a thing or two from their better counterpart..."

"You ready to go home Rando?" Pel asked.

Rando held the marshmallow gatling gun out to Santa to return it.

"Ah, keep it, lad. Merry Christmas."

"Really?" Rando asked.

"I insist."

Pel looked up through the glass, watching as Gigabyte flew away with the last of the webbing obscuring the plot hole. "We're ready."

The Void Jumpers sent out a new ship, a replacement for the Trailblazer called the Jump Shuttle - a large ship meant to carry many Void Jumpers to a new world all at once. The bright white, orange and blue craft was previously a Captain Harvester ship, the pitch black sparrow-tailed vessel that once caused so much havoc in the Multiverse - repurposed for a new and better mission. Veebee piloted it, wearing a Santa Hat.

The jump crew of Pel, Keenan, Santa, Rando, Calathorn and Owag burst through into Rando's world. The ship touched down behind the Detective's Office. Night was falling on Christmas Eve, snow twinkled in the lights of the voidcraft as they landed in the parking lot.

"Put your hands where I can see them!" a little ear of corn rushed out of the detective office, holding a tiny gun.

"Corner!" Rando leapt from the ship before the snow had even settled.

Corner let down his gun. "R... Rando?"

"Corner!" Rando leapt at his friend and hugged him tight. "Oh man, I missed you!"

"What happened?"

"You told me to call the Void Jumpers when you were busy-" Rando muttered, flapping his bear lips and slobbering all over the place as he cried. "And then later that day, a UFO showed up in the sky and abducted me... and... and..."

"Wait the Void Jumpers message wasn't a scam?" Corner asked in disbelief.

"And then this super mean robot lady sold me to these lizard pirates, and then there was a big fight in the storm or something and we crashed but we didn't cuz some random guy froze it time or something, and..."

"What?"

"And then I think there was a butterfly? But I didn't see it, and then all of a sudden I hear 'Holding Out for a Hero' playing like, really really loud..."

"The song by Bunny Tyler? From the 80s?" Corner asked.

"Yeah that one..."

"Huh..."

"And then Santa Claus showed up and..."

Corner peered over Rando's shoulder at the Void Jumpers, exiting the ship with Captain Braggs Santa.

"What the..."

"Yo-ho-ho! Merry Christmas!"

Corner smiled. "That's so weird..."

Keenan leaned over to Pel and whispered, "Says the talking Corn..."

A tall frog person in a suit and tie burst from the detective's office, accompanied by a potato, a penguin, and a living Police Golf Cart. The friends reunited with joy.

Keenan crossed his arms and chuckled. "I'm starting to think that 'normal' universes aren't really a thing. Of all the places we've been, more are weird than not. I guess it's just our own reality-centric biases that make us judge something as weird."

Pel looked at Keenan, raising their brow at his festive outfit. "Yeah..." they said with a thick undertone of sarcasm. "Weird." They smiled.

As Rando's reunion calmed, his friends were introduced to the Void Jumpers, and then, they parted for the night. The Void Jumpers made their way back to the Everywhere.

"I must go for the night," Santa declared.

"I understand," Keenan nodded, visibly upset that the festivities had to wind down.

"I suggest sleeping soon," Santa said with a nudge. "The sooner you sleep the sooner Christmas morning will arrive."

Keenan smiled.

The Void Jumpers all settled down, and went to sleep...

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the void, not a jumper was stirring, not even Keenan - who still didn't rhyme. The stockings were hung by the dimensional doors with care, in hopes that Braggs Santa had left some of his wares. The Void Jumpers were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of Funky Rays all danced in their heads. The glass of the station dimmed - and Keenan tossed and turned. Before he slept - he heard one last call from old Braggs Santa.

"Yo-ho-ho! Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!"

The morning bell of the Everywhere rang, and the glass let in the light of the storm. The Void Jumpers awoke to gifts scattered across - more than even Keenan had prepped.

Keenan was the first to wander into the decorated halls, and at once, he was tackled to the floor.

"DOOT DOOT DOOT!" a Funky Ray hugged him with its little arms. The creatures was wrapped in a bow, and left with a note.

Keenan read aloud, "He liked you so much, I thought he ought to stay."

Keenan sobbed uncontrollably, holding the ray close.

The Void Jumpers all went to work opening their presents, thanking Keenan profusely.

Pel opened their gift from him, and they smiled. It was a box set of the Lord of the Rings movies and books, and a mug with 'Best Friend' written on it. They smiled.

Pel looked out over the Void Jumpers, their family, and an uneasy feeling pulled at them. "I'll be right back," they said.

Keenan understood exactly where they were headed.

Pel stepped through the door to Elderia.

Licia sat at the table, staring off blankly.

Pel rushed up to her and hugged her.

"What's this?" Licia asked.

"I just... I really really appreciate you," Pel said, sniffling.

"What's brought this on?"

"There's an Earth holiday Keenan's been rambling on about. Lots of talk about family, and I just. I'm really grateful that you understand what I do, why I do it. I'm grateful you're still around."

"Oh, what a coincidence."

Pel flinched.

"I thought it maybe had something to do with why the Paradox Master was here."

"Why what?" Pel stood up abruptly.

"He seemed very distraught, not himself. I don't know why he came to me of all people. He spoke of things I didn't understand, perhaps from the future. I imagine he visited me at the wrong time. It's the only way to explain some of the things he said."

"Wait, what? We have't seen him since... Why would he... Did he mention the Void Jumpers?"

"Just Keenan."

"What?"

Licia shrugged. "It's been a weird day."

Pel nodded, agreeing. "Hey, listen, we can figure this out later, could you please, uh... I'd like you to visit. We're having a nice time."

Licia smiled. "Certainly."

The Ironleafs reconvened at the Everywhere, and joined the festivities. The Void Jumpers watched movies, exchanged and enjoyed their new gifts. Rando visited with his friends, and reiterated his intent to remain a Void Jumper. Keenan played with his new pet, which he affectionately named Montage.

The festivities carried on into the night - a day of rest, away from research and science and adventure - just for family and play.

Keenan eventually left the Everywhere to spend time at his home with Daquan and Velo, in a smaller, quieter setting.

Pel sat alone in a far off corner, admiring a gift that they had received before they had learned of Christmas. They stared at the skull-like mask of the Spirit of the Forest.

Veebee approached. "You miss him, don't you?" he asked. "Soap."

Pel nodded.

"Me too," Veebee admitted. "Have you worn the mask since he gave it to you?"

Pel shook their head. They pressed the mask to their face. It was a strange sensation, and it hurt their head. They put it down.

"A lot seems to be on your mind. Are you alright?" Veebee asked.

"Yeah... Things are just... weird. Even though the big important thing is over and done with I still have questions, and just enough of it lingers where it feels like, even though that was a big grand finale... As Keenan keeps saying..."

"There's always a sequel." Veebee nodded. "He needs to stop saying that, it's stressing me out."

Pel agreed with a nod. They got up and approached the door to Keenan's lab.

Veebee watched as they left. He looked out into the storm and sighed.

Pel entered the Quantum Cabin Lab. Velo and Steven were inside.

"Hey guys."

"Hey." Velo smiled, and Steven waved.

"Where's Keenan?"

"Outside," Velo answered.

Pel wandered outside, into the dark snowy night. Keenan sat beside Daquan on the end of a hill, overlooking the dried up lake in the distance.

Pel sat down next to them.

They stared at the former battlefield for a while. The night was cold, calm, quiet. The sky was clear - not a Quantum Entangled Shipwreck in sight. Though, Montage was flying around, playing with the falling snow, happily doot-doot-dooting.

Pel rubbed the edges of the mask, sitting in their lap. They held it by the antlers, nervously playing with it.

"My mom saw the Paradox Master today."

Keenan bolted his head to Pel. "WHAT?"

"I don't think this is all over," Pel added. "I think that once we finish that time machine... It'll be the beginning of a whole other crazy thing. I don't know if I'm ready for that."

"Well it's a good thing we're stalling, then," Keenan said. "Here's to more Christmases to distract us. That and... still no lead on Dark Matter."

Pel sighed. "We've got time." They held the mask to their face out of curiosity. A searing pain shot through their head as a bright green vision taunted them. Pel scrambled back, screaming, dropping the mask.

Keenan stared, worried.

"What the Hells was that!" Pel yelled.

Daquan stood up, confused. "What's going on?"

"Keenan!" Pel yelled urgently.

"What?"

"Put on the mask!"

Keenan didn't hesitate. He pressed it to his face, and looked at Pel. His vision tinted with green, but besides that, nothing happened.

Pel pointed at the lake.

Keenan turned. "AH!" he dropped the mask and held his head.

Daquan picked up the mask, and he too looked out at the lake. "I don't get it. I don't see anything."

Pel and Keenan locked eyes. In the same moment, they both looked off to a random spot in the sky, then back at each other. Pel grabbed the mask from Daquan and pressed the mask to their face. They stared over at the lake and took in what they were seeing, glowing with a fiery green aura above what once was a chaotic battlefield.

"This isn't over..." they whispered.

TO BE CONTINUED IN: