Wind carried Jacqueline through the streets of Burgess, Jacqueline stopping at four houses; the twin's, Pippa's, Cupcake's, and Monty's homes. She left a wooden gift on each windowsill, carved to absolute perfection and dusted with snow and ice.
She had given Cupcake a carved statue of the little girl in a sparkling, textured, and snow-covered dress. The carving of Cupcake was riding a fluffy unicorn, whose mane and tail were ice, its pine frame covered in snow. Pippa had been given a carving of her, her family, and her new baby sister. The parents were topped with snow, but Pippa and the baby were both layered in smooth ice.
The twins, Caleb and Claude, both got ice and snow candy canes. The brown swirls joined with the white ice or snow, and it came out perfectly.
Sophie, of course, got a carved Easter golem, with a small egg walking besides it. Bunny sat on top of the golem, delicately painting an egg in his hands. For Jamie, Jacqueline managed to whip up a carving of all the guardians on the sleigh. Bunny sat in between Tooth and Sandy, and she sat on the edge with Baby Tooth on her shoulder.
She was sure the all would love their gifts, and before flitting off she would knock on their windows, leave the gifts, and race off before they could even get near their rooms. Unfortunately, as he neared Jamie's house and was about to tap on the window, Jamie raced in. She almost sighed at being caught, but regained herself as her first light came to the window, opened it, and gestured for her to come in.
"I can't, Jamie. I don't really work well with a warm house. Sorry, sweetie." She apologized, guilt slowly setting in.
"It doesn't matter! It's fine! One second, lemme get Sophie and we can give you-"He shouted, running for the door.
"Wait, Jamie! I can't stay for too long. I have an errand to run. Here's your gift, as well as Sophie's. I would love to stay and chat with you guys, but I really can't…" She frowned, but quickly gave Jamie the gifts before shooting him a regretful smile and flying off in the wind.
****Travel Skip, Jacqueline's Lake, her POV. ****
"Well, looks like I got here safely. Of course, it won't last long but no big deal, right, Wind?" I spoke loudly, glancing over at a small pile of snow and adding to it. "How long do we usually do this, again? All night, or was it just for an hour or so?" I groaned, realizing that if I screwed up on the times I'd be dead. "Ah, well, it's only a few hours… So it's probably an entire night," I grinned, satisfied with my decision. "Now… We just… Start." I mumbled, getting on my hands and knees and crawling to the previously small snowdrift I had seen earlier.
I leaned back, made a small ice sculpture of a home, before I began roughly smacking it onto the ice. Both were solid, I knew, but that was exactly it. If the ice cracked first, I would make an entire village on the ice. It would be Burgess, of course, but more like the time when I was human. If the small house broke first, I would pay the consequences. I slammed it once. Twice. Now three times. A fourth, then a fifth, then finally…
Crack.
The house began falling apart.
I didn't know whether to be happy, sad, angry, excited, or anything else. I shrugged, pulling up my thin sweater sleeve. I tugged and poked the skin on my wrist, watching with curiosity as my scars somehow managed to always be a slight red, or pink. I quickly formed a beautifully designed ice knife, and placed it at my wrist. Blood quickly flowed down as I watched intently, curiously, confusion coursing throughout me. How did my own blood not freeze? As it dripped down my arm, I attempted to freeze the drop again.
Failure. I looked at the knife. The blood dripped and fell from it, still warm despite the cold. I sighed, looking down at my arm. I hadn't done this for such a long time, that it was better than it usually was. I felt alive. I had blood; warm, human blood. It was inside me, and proved that once I wasn't only this ice cold spirit.
My eyelashes brushed against my cheeks as I shut them, slicing my wrist yet again. It was at this time that I heard it.
'What's frostbite doin ou' 'ere…?'
I panicked. I melted the ice quickly, and pulled my sleeve over my ripped up arm, and then looked in horror at my blood. It completely rejected the snow; the blood actually melted the snow around it, and was noticeable compared to the dull, dead grass and clean white snow. Groaning, I quickly sat on the small, grassy patch, just as bunny found me.
"Frost? Sheila, why're ya 'ere, by ya self? I's Chrissy, mate! Nah as impor'ant as Easta, but still. Le's go." He prepared to open a hole, and I took it as my chance to weasel out of it.
"But, I don't have anything to wear! And from the looks of it, it's a dressy occasion." I looked him up and down, noting his somehow tamed fur. I almost grinned at how simple my lie was. It's not like Tooth has clothes she could give me; she's like a bird, I'm not. The rest of the guardians are guys, so unless they cross-dress in skin-tight clothing…
"Sheila… Ah' ya' kiddin me?" He snickered wildly, and my eyes widened in shock. What was the problem? Did Tooth have some creepy stash made for me or something, managing to get my measurements…? "Do ya' really thin' tha me n' Tooth wou'n't have clothes? North made a potion after we foun' ou' that Tooth li'es to dress 'erself up. It makes us human. I still nee' to get dressed, actually!" he snickered throughout it and I blushed. Would I really have to go in a dress I still nee' to get dressed, actually!" he snickered throughout it and I blushed. Would I really have to go in a dress? Wasn't my white sweater-dress and black-blue leggings enough?
A heavy sting in my left arm made me remember the fact that my skin was bleeding severely, and I was wearing white. My eyebrows knitted themselves together as I scowled, staying seated on top of the blood on the ground. "Bunny, back off!" My speech was more harsh than intended, but my main priority was not to keep Bunny happy at the moment. "I'll get there when I get there! I don't need you nagging at me."
"Sheila, North sent me. Ya' hav' ta come! Sorry, but stop getting so upset. It won't solve anything!" He glared at me, and I turned to the side to cover up my shredded arm. He leaned in, curious as to what I was hiding. "Snowflake… Wha is that?" He spoke as if someone had slapped him when he was in the middle of a conversation. The pure shock on his face made me wonder if he had actually seen what I thought he had.
I gasped, realizing he had.
It was too late. It was fight or flee. He knew what I was doing, and I knew that he knew. He slowly crouched, approaching me like I was an injured fox; ready to run because of the fear, but hesitating because of the pain. I would not be the fox caught by the hunter. So, I ran from a rabbit.
"Damnit!" he hollered, racing after me. "Thah blood, Sheila! You'll kill ya self!" he screamed, Racing after me. I didn't care if I lived or died. I was most certainly not letting him catch me. My long, white ponytail flailed wildly behind me and I frowned as it gave me away yet again. Grabbing it, I twisted it into a bun as I flew. I suddenly dropped slightly in my flight, the blood loss catching up. I quickly landed and hid before I had to try outrunning him. It was silent.
One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three Mississippi, Four Mississippi, Five Mississippi, check for the Kangaroo… There! I quickly flipped back behind the cement wall I had been peeking from, my hair getting caught on a small bush jutting out from the ground, horror striking me as the fear rose in my chest. What if I was caught? What would North say? What about Tooth? She was like my best friend, and I disappointed her…
"Ah!" I gasped in shock and horror as something grabbed me. After a split second I realized it was Bunny, but my fear only grew.
****Normal POV.****
"Shhh, shhhh…" Bunny soothed the crying young girl as she shook in his arms. He didn't choose the best way to keep her still, but if he had called to her she would have run. As he sat he held onto her as she sobbed miserably, clutching her arm in pain. The red had seeped through the white cotton she was wearing, and he knew he would have to patch her up carefully. As she calmed and her tears subsided, he took his chance to speak. "Snowflake, it's a'right, I'm righ' ere, okay? Nobody's gonna hurt ya, not anymore." He whispered it softly into her ear, cooing the words to her gently and smoothly.
"B-Bunny…" she began, her tears becoming more difficult to restrain, "I'm scared. North and sandy and Tooth, and even you are gonna be mad. I- I don't want to get in t-trouble," she stuttered, shaking horribly, "I can take care of myself, I'm fi-" She tried, before getting cut off.
"You are not fine. Don't you dare say that."
"I am! Just-"
"No. You are not 'fine' ya' can't make me belie' tha' afta' what jus 'appened." He whispered softly, petting her head with the lightest of touches. They sat in silence for a while, the silence broken merely once when Bunny reported to North that he'd be late. "Snowflake…?"
"… Yes?"
"Can I see them?" the small winter spirit was shocked at this question. She sat, frozen, until Bunny slowly took her sleeve and pulled it up. She stared at it intently, not caring he could see her scars. She just wanted to know how her blood would not, could not, freeze. "Why do ya' do this, Jackie?" Bunny whispered, horrified at what he was seeing.
She sat quietly for a bit, before turning to him and mumbling "It distracts me. I'm so curious and confused that I forget everything… Even you." She said, shame pouring through her. "It's just so calming… I've been doing it for so long… It just comes naturally at this point." Bunny was beyond surprised. He couldn't comprehend how they hadn't noticed before; it'd been a bit more than ten months at this point!
Bunny looked at the girl in his arms, her sleeves pulled up and her arms bleeding. What kind of family were they? He decided it was safe to ask yet another question, but tightened his grip a bit anyway. "Jackie? How long has this been happening?" she stiffened. Looking up to him in a timid manner, her ice blue eyes began watering under her dark lashes.
"About 260 years, give or take a few…"
Bunny snapped. He held her closely, head bowed as crystal tears rained down from his eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" he repeated it over and over again, struggling to regain his composure.
"It's alright." She crooned, easing herself out of Bunny's grip. "We can go back to your Warren and get ready for the Christmas party, and forget this ever happened." Jacqueline spoke softly, hoping to get the rabbit to agree. By the way he stared at her, she was sure it was a no. she sighed, and sat on the ground. "Bunny, please? You can stitch me up or whatever you'd like but please don't tell anyone else. It can be our secret." She pouted; worry lacing her voice as she raised a pinky. He raised an eyebrow, before quickly hooking pinkies with her.
"Deal."
****TIME SKIP, Jackie is patched up and all they need to do is get clothes and become human.****
"Tooth?" Jacqueline called as she walked through the corridors. "where is everyone?" She turned to Bunny, a questioning look dancing upon her face. "Unless you know where the potions and clothes are…?" she trailed off, looking up hopefully at the large pooka.
"Follow me, Snowball." She glared at yet another new name, but quickly shrugged it off and walked behind the pooka, glancing briefly at him when she suspected that he would turn. They finally reached a graffiti covered door with three guardians dutifully scrubbing away. He cleared his throat, and when that failed he went to the obvious course of action; smacking North upside the head.
"Hey, hey, hey! Look! Iz Jacqueline! And Bunny!" North chuckled, glancing at the two. "Your are earlier than we exzpected! Good job! Now, come work!" He boomed again, before getting on his knees and scrubbing away.
"Early? Mate, what a' ya talkin abou? We're late! Ridiculously late!" Bunny groaned, shutting his eyes and pinching his temple.
"Bunny, we knew catching her was no easy feat. We still have an hour or so to be ready in time," She blushed under her feathers, a bit guilty for sending Bunny. "but anyway, follow me and we can get our clothes ready". She, herself, needed to become human as well. "Lets go!" She giggled, racing past the trashed door and into a simple room. One side was made of ice and had small sockets in them containing potions. The other side of the room was filled with clothes of all types. Girly clothes, boy clothes, lingerie- what…?
Both Bunny and Jacqueline blushed at the lingerie. Tooth glance over, eyes widened in horror, before grabbing it and stuffing it into a closet with her name on it. "Those stupid little elves…" she grumbled, her face bright red. "a-ah, no matter! Lets see, potions, potions, potions…" she mumbled, a horrible attempt to distract them. She suddenly let out a small cry of joy, drank a small, soft blue, orange, purple, and reddish pink potion before glowing a slight white, and landing on the ground with another bottle, but with sharper, dark blue, black, and green colors.
Her messy brown hair brushed lightly along her shoulders as she went to grab a gown to wear for the moment. Jacqueline suddenly blushed realizing Tooth was naked, and quickly turned around. Tooth giggled looked over and whispered to her "Your so silly." She laughed, before turning around and guiding Jacqueline to a corner of the room. "C'mon, lets face the wall." She smiled softly, before turning and tracing the walls' patterns.
"Why, what's the- Oh." Jacqueline blushed as she realized that if Tooth had been naked, Bunny would be naked too. After picking out their clothes, they each observed themselves in the mirror as North walked in. He was wearing the usual; a long, red coat with fur. No hat of course, and large, polished black boots. He looked ordinary, but his beard was properly combed and he looked a bit mature.
Bunny was… How could she put it… Well, hot. He had longish hair that reached his neck in the back, and his blue-grey hair brushed along the bottoms of his ears. He had nothing to cover his forehead, but had a few small, beaded braids on the right side of his head. He was wearing a simple tux that covered his originally fur markings, had tanned skin, and a gorgeous set of abs.
Toothiana had mainly brown hair, had a flash of color on her bangs. She wore a simple-shouldered dress that came up high on her back, and reached her knees. It had a slit in the side, and was a beautiful and soft colored mixture of blues, greens, purples and a bit of yellow. She seemed Indian, and had beautiful feather earrings. She had on dark blue flats, and Tooth looked amazing.
****Jackie's POV.****
I, unfortunately, felt disgusting and ugly. I had on a beautiful dress, sleeveless, to her horror. I protested, as did Bunny, but Tooth insisted and we agreed on gloves. Unfortunately I ended up going through the trouble of hiding the bandages on my arms. All in all, the gloves were pretty as well. When they hit my wrist they were like a triangle, and centered on my middle finger. A small, lace strap kept it from falling away from the finger, and I loved them.
My sleeveless dress had lace falling from the belt at the waist, and it shimmered beautifully. My hair was in a neat bun, as well. It was an amazing outfit all in all, but the problem? I wasn't pretty. I had ugly white hair, a thin, lanky body, and a small chest. I didn't deserve to wear the clothes. I frowned, looking down at myself. I glanced at Tooth, and watched, intrigued, as Tooth quickly did her own, peacock-like makeup. She went and started on mine, and later, although I hadn't wanted her to, my eyes had beautiful white and blue eye shadow trailing along with the occasional dash of glitter. When I was finally able to see my reflection, I looked at myself uncomfortably. Looking closely I could see that the dress sagged a bit on my chest, and hung slightly on my waist. I felt ugly.
Bunny suddenly came up behind me, eyes wide with… Disgust? He looked down at me, pulled me towards him, and looked me in the eye as I shut mine. "You can insult me now. Call me flat chested, anything you like." I whispered, my head slowly falling at the thought of the unavoidable onslaught.
"You're beautiful."
And for the rest of the night we danced, we laughed, we ate, we smiled, and just between me and Bunny… We fell in love.
Merry Christmas! I love you guys and wish you a happy New Year! I just finished this on the 20th, and I've been quite busy as of late. If you want to be an OC in my story, The End, let me know! (It's a zombie-high school or middle school theme.) I'll take just about anyone! =) Anyway, I hope you guys liked this. I just watched it for my second time in class today (We had a Christmas party. It was fun, and thanks for the gifts Ree!) And as soon as I got home I went onto the computer and typed this up. And do you think my cutting theory for Jacqueline is plausible? Would someone really cut out of the need for a distraction, or no? And I know they're a bit OOC… Sorry. =(
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
~WALRUS vs USA.