Calla's Origin Story
Becky lays out her death outfit: a simple creamish dress and ballet flats. She braids her hair in a side braid. She pulls on her cardigan before grabbing her backpack. She leaves her notes for her parents on her made bed, getting one good last look at her room.
Her mom calls asking if she's ready yet. After brushing her teeth, she heads downstairs.
After the five minute trip to the high school, Becky gets out of her mom's car.
"I love you, sweetheart. Have a good day."
"I love you, too, Mom."
After her mom pulls away, Becky heads into the school. Instead of heading to her first class early (as usual), she heads up to the roof unnoticed.
Good. It's unlocked. She thinks. She sets her bag down and stands back a ways so she isn't seen yet.
She doesn't notice the four Guardians – and Pitch – in front of the school.
Meanwhile, Bunny is staring up at her, and, along with his fellow guardians, fearful and worried.
"Mates, I'll be back." He taps his foot and a hole appears. He then appears on the roof, but Becky doesn't notice him.
"Please don't do this." Bunny says. The girl doesn't turn around or acknowledge his presence.
"Manny, give me a sign that I can save this girl." Bunny says, looking up at the moon in a panic. The moon, as it's still pretty early, doesn't move or make a move to shine on the girl. Complete silence from Manny.
Becky hears a crowd downstairs, so she steps to the ledge.
"Someone get a teacher!" A girl exclaims.
"Don't jump!" Another kid exclaims.
Becky spies some kids taking out their phones.
"Bunny, I hope you know what you're doing. None of these kids are going to help her." Tooth says.
Some teachers arrive.
"Someone go up there. Now." One teacher moves to go up to the roof, but they'll never reach her in time, because…
She jumps, Bunny unsuccessfully reaching out to grab her. Another teacher moves to catch her, but doesn't reach her in time, and her body hits the ground. The crowd screams at the sight, and Pitch relishes in the fear he's receiving from the crowd and the Guardians.
Bunny returns to his spot with the other Guardians, his ears drooping.
"I couldn't…I mean, I didn't…I…" Bunny can't finish his sentence.
"Oh, Bunny. I'm so sorry. You did everything you could."
The crowd disperses into the school as the police are called. Pitch and the Guardians look as Manny shines his light on Becky as her spirit leaves her body, catching her spirit just as her last thread of life snaps.
"He's choosing her as a new guardian." North remarks.
"Bunny, since you were the one who went up there, why don't you go over there and assist her?" Tooth asks. Bunny nods and heads over to the moonlight beam.
When Bunny reaches her, Manny left her in the same form as she was when she died, but with purple and blue butterfly wings. Manny lays her next to her body.
Bunny cautiously approaches the still form.
"Hey…" Bunny shakes her shoulder gently.
The girl bolts up and backs away, terrified.
"I-it's okay. I won't hurt you. I'm here to help you."
"Who – who are you?"
"Bunnymund. E. Aster Bunnymund. But you can call me Bunny. What's your name?"
"Like, the Easter Bunny?"
"Exactly."
"So you're the Easter Bunny?"
"I am. So, what's your name?"
"I…I don't know. All I remember is being lifted up by the moonbeams…and then, here I am. Can…can you name me?"
"I can try. Umm…give me a minute." Bunny frantically searches for something that can verify the girl's previous identity. He finds her ID card on her body, but doesn't pick it up. He can see the first name.
"Your name before you were chosen was Rebekah. Do you want to stick with that?"
"Are you saying that because you can't come up with anything?"
"Maybe a little. I can think of something else." Bunny taps his chin, trying to think of a name for this new Guardian. One of his favorite spring flowers pops into his head. But he wants to make it unique, as he can tell this new Guardian is unique.
"Calla Lilly. Lilly with two 'l's."
"Calla Lilly. I like it. Thank you for naming me."
"You're welcome. Would you like to meet the other Guardians?" Bunny asks, helping Calla Lilly to her feet.
"I guess I kinda have to, huh?"
"Also, one of them has access to your memories of who you were before you were Calla Lilly." Calla spots a body beside her and glances down at her outfit, which is the same as the body's.
"Is…is that…me?"
"It is…do you want to know how you died?"
"Not right now." Calla says.
"That's okay. Come on, let's have you meet the other Guardians."
Bunny leads Calla over to the other Guardians.
"Guys, this is Calla Lilly."
"Do you know what your center is?" North asks.
"My center?"
"North, Calla literally just came into existence. Give her some time to get used to being a spirit." Bunny says.
"Right. Sorry. Let's go to the North Pole."
"Ah, no. I'm the one who named her, so let's go to the Warren. She might not like the cold. She's part butterfly for Manny's sake!" Bunny argues.
Calla, not liking the conflict, backs away from the group. She backs into someone.
"Who – who are you?"
"That's Pitch Black, Calla. Our greatest enemy. He's the Guardian of Fear." North says.
Bunny steps up, putting Calla behind him.
"Don't come near her, Pitch."
"I don't intend to, rabbit." Pitch leaves through the shadows.
"Shall we go to the Warren or the North Pole? Your choice, sheila." Bunny says.
"We've got cookies, egg nog and cocoa at the North Pole." North remarks.
"North! Don't influence her decision." Tooth says.
But Calla has already made her decision.
"The Warren."
"You see, North? This girl's got good taste. By the way, Calla, I know to never ask a woman's age…"
"I don't know…remember, I don't have my memories?"
"Right. Tooth?"
"I'm on it. Be back in a flash!" Tooth says as she speeds off.
Tooth returns immediately after, remembering she doesn't know Calla's name before she was Calla.
"Calla, sorry, but what was your name before you were chosen?"
"Rebekah."
"Got it. Thanks. And this is one of the cities in Virginia. I'll do some research and get back to you." Tooth speeds off again.
Tooth returns soon after, a tooth box in hand.
"Here it is. I looked up your school and immediately came across the school records. You're the only Rebekah with your face."
"Well, I'd hope so, Tooth." Calla says.
"Why don't we go to the Warren and you can open it?" Bunny asks. Calla nods after taking the tooth box from Tooth.
"All right, mates. Let's go." Bunny thumps his foot and a hole appears next to it. The other Guardians make their way to the hole.
"You comin', Calla?" Calla nods nervously.
"It's okay. I'll help you down." Bunny says.
"Thank you."
Calla takes Bunny's paws and he hops down and gently helps Calla down.
"Come on. Let's catch up with the others."
Calla and Bunny catch up with the others and they make their way to the Warren.
"Welcome to the Warren." Bunny says, helping Calla through the tunnel and to the main part of the Warren. The group plops down on the grass and Calla makes her way closer to Bunny.
"You ready to see your memories?"
"I think so."
Calla presses the top of the tooth box and she's immediately encased in memories from the last ten years.
Playing with her friends.
Starting elementary school.
Getting bullied.
Being with her parents.
Moving.
Starting middle school.
Getting bullied.
Losing her last tooth, but the memories don't stop there.
Starting high school.
Getting bullied.
Cutting.
Her 16th birthday. Looking on her iPod Nano and finding music and seeing the date.
Heading to school on her last day alive.
Jumping off the roof.
And every moment inbetween.
She gasps, and is broken out of her memories.
"Are you okay, Calla?"
Calla slowly nods.
"I saw everything. From losing my first tooth to…to…jumping off the school roof. Can I have a moment alone?" Calla asks, her voice wavering.
"Of course. My Warren is your Warren." Bunny says. Calla nods her thanks and wanders off.
The Guardians can soon hear sobs coming from her.
"Do you think that she saw too much? That it's too much for her to take in such a short period of time?" Tooth asks.
"Maybe. I'll check on her in a few minutes."
Soon, Bunny heads over to where Calla went.
"Calla? Are you doing okay?"
"No…" Bunny notices the Calla lilies growing around Calla.
"Were those there before you came here?"
Calla looks up, her eyes full of tears. She glances around herself, noticing the Calla lilies for the first time.
"No…no, they weren't."
"They're beautiful…guess your name really is meant to be Calla Lilly."
"You know, I did see the beauty in most others when I was alive…but I was homophobic, so maybe my center isn't beauty."
"Do you regret being homophobic?"
"It was how I was raised…I believed that was the only way to go."
"It's just love. Were you religious?"
"From what the memories showed me, I was religious at school, but not anywhere else."
"Maybe it was just a front to make everyone think you were religious, and you were homophobic by default."
"I think you're right. I was so blind by what I thought was right, I wasn't conscious of anyone else's feelings."
"There you go."
"That doesn't exactly mean I'm the Guardian of Beauty."
"Doesn't mean you're not. What do you see in me?"
"You're fluffy…and kind…and protective…and…and…and handsome. To – to me, at least, you're handsome."
"You're definitely the Guardian of Beauty. I know you're sixteen, but do you think a beautiful girl like you could be with someone like me?"
"Someone like you?"
"I'm not human. Obviously."
"Obviously. But who says that's a bad thing?"
"No one. Would you like to take the Oath of the Guardians? To make it official? North's got it memorized, so…"
"I think so…"
"You're not sure?"
"No, I am…but where am I going to live?"
"You could live with me…if – if you wouldn't mind living with me."
"I – I'd like that, Bunny. Thank you. But I have a couple questions…"
"Go ahead. I probably have answers."
"Do spirits eat? Sleep?"
"We don't have to, but we can and occasionally do."
"Okay. Thank you. For everything."
"You're welcome. For everything. Shall we?"
"We shall."
Bunny and Calla walk out to the other Guardians, hand in paw.
"North…I'm ready to take the Oath of the Guardians."
"Good. I'm glad to hear it." North steps forward and clears his throat. Bunny steps back behind North to let Calla have her moment alone.
"Will you, Calla Lilly, vow to watch over the children of the world? To guard them with your life, their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams. For they are that we have, all that we are, and all that we will ever be." Calla looks at Bunny, who nods.
"I will." Calla says, smiling.
"Then, congratulations, Calla Lilly, for you are now and forevermore, a Guardian."
The Guardians cheer at their newest addition.
"That's my girl!" Bunny says. Calla blushes but smiles at Bunny.
About a year later, Bunny and Calla get married. Another year passes and they discover they're expecting. When Calla started experiencing symptoms (nausea, tiredness, etc.), Bunny and Calla sneak to one of the world's pharmacies and buy a pregnancy test after one of the employees steps away for a moment, leaving the money for it on the counter.
Calla takes the pregnancy test in one of the secluded areas of the Warren.
Bunny paces nearby.
A few minutes later, Calla comes to where Bunny is with the pregnancy test in her hands.
"Well, angel bunny?"
"It's positive."
"Really?"
"Really."
"We're having a baby!" Bunny exclaims excitedly.
"We're having a baby." Calla whispers.
Bunny gently wraps his arms around his wife.
"Shall we tell everyone?"
"Not yet. I've gotta go. I've got Spring to spread." Calla says, pulling away from the hug and flying away.
"Pace yourself, my Lilly dove!" Bunny calls to her.
"Will do!"