Lin here. :)
I always forget to put a disclaimer, so...I don't own Rise of the Guardians.
~RotG~
The first voice to speak to Jack was called "Wind". When Jack had first been adopted and his parents were at work, Wind had kept him company, and they would spend hours together playing pranks on an older kid down the street.
But after a while, Jack became curious about why no one else could hear or - later on - see Wind. When he first asked his parents about Wind, they had smiled and told him that he had a wild imagination. Many kids did, so Jack assumed it was normal.
Five years later, Jack was starting to think it wasn't so normal anymore. And that was beginning to scare him.
Jackson Overland Frost, wake up! an annoyed voice told him sharply. The brown-haired teen covered his head with a pillow and groaned. I'm not kidding! Get up. You're going to be late for school again.
"No thanks," the fourteen year old grumbled, voice muffled. "It's a weekend."
Another voice spoke up, sounding amused. Dude, it's a Monday. Where have you been? Wind chuckled when Jack threw the pillow away and grabbed his alarm clock off the desk. It was now 7 o'clock. His bus was supposed to pick him up at seven-thirty.
...Whoops. Jack stumbled out of bed and nearly tripped over his backpack, then glared at a young girl with multicolored hair and wide brown eyes. "Why didn't you say something before?"
Wind just did, the girl chirped before disappearing. And you shouldn't be up so late anyway.
Jack muttered under his breath as he got ready for school quickly. He was heading downstairs fifteen minutes later when the girl appeared again. He hardly glanced at the ghost-like girl as she walked ahead of him.
Did you finish your math homework? she asked him hopefully.
The teen stopped mid-step and blinked at her. I had homework?
Jack! It's due third period! What are we going to do now? The girl looked around anxiously. Your mom is gonna kill us if we fail this semester.
Jack smirked at her. "Then we'll beg for mercy," he told her sarcastically, then added calmly, "I think you're being a little too dramatic, Baby."
I'm serious!
Jack gave her an amused look, and Baby sighed, shaking her head. You're already failing three classes, and your parents are getting worried.
Jack shrugged. "It'll be fine," he assured her as he continued down the stairs. "How long have you been here?"
Baby paused, thinking. Wind's been here about five years, and I've been here three years. She shook her head furiously. But that isn't the point! You're gonna be late!
The teen shook his head with a small smile. "A little nervous, huh, Baby?"
Wind appeared beside him and said suddenly, Just keep walking. Got it?
"Yeah, okay," Jack yawned, making a detour throught the living room to the kitchen. He glanced at the clock and grabbed a granola bar for breakfast before leaving the house. "Maybe the bus will come late?"
I doubt it, Wind replied as they walked, then commented absently, I didn't see your parents today.
"Probably already at work," Jack said with a careless shrug. "You know they're always busy."
When was the last time you spent time with them? Wind asked as he walked alongside the teen.
Jack thought about it, then shrugged. "I don't know. Does it matter?"
Wind didn't answer, which Jack was grateful for. Hearing Wind and Baby bicker was usually funny until school started. Then it was just distracting and got in the way.
"Late again, mate?" And then there was E. Aster Bunnymund waiting with his usual smirk. He had a slight Australian accent that Jack would always tease him about. Not to mention the name, which always made Wind grin.
The older teen was 6'1", had short gray hair and green eyes. The high schooler was sarcastic and easily irritated, but he was also Jack's only friend. Not that the Australian knew that.
Jack grinned and replied, "Of course, kangaroo." He looked around quickly. The two shared the same bus stop, but the older teen's bus came later than Jack's. "Has my bus come by yet?"
"Nope."
Jack sighed in relief. "Good!" He sat on the curb and looked up at the Australian. "Hey, Bunny, about how much time do I have?"
Bunny glanced at his watch. "Ten minutes. Maybe less." He raised an eyebrow at the younger teen who was pulling out papers and a pencil. "Tooth is gonna kill ya."
Jack ignored that last part and smiled. "Mind helping me out with my homework?"
Bunny sat down beside him, taking the paper out of his hand. "I think there's a reason it's called homework, Jack," he reminded the middle school student, but the younger teen only laughed. "What's it for?"
Math, Baby said quickly, and Jack echoed her cheerfully.
Bunny looked at the paper Jack was supposed to work on and frowned. "We didn't work on stuff like this when I was in 7th grade," he commented, surprised.
"Advanced classes, remember?" Jack shook his head. "The teachers are always threatening to kick me out, but they won't."
"I'd kick ya out even if you didn't have bad grades," Bunny told him jokingly.
Jack chuckled as Wind came up with a retort. "Nah, I'm the highlight of your day, 'roo," he repeated lightly.
Sometimes it was great having the voices. Other times, not so much.
This is boring, Baby complained during English. We're learning the same thing every year!
Hush! Wind scolded her, and Jack shook his head slightly. The two had been unusually talkative the last week or so. And that's not true. The vocab's different.
Be quiet, Jack told them silently. You'll get me in -
"Jackson? Do you know the answer?" his teacher asked him kindly.
Jack was caught off guard, dragging his attention away from the voices. "I - no, ma'am, I don't," he stammered, embarrassed.
"Please pay more attention," she said gently and then moved on to ask another student.
Easy for you to say, Jack thought with a sigh. You don't have to argue with two different people all the time.
Two? There was a quiet snort, and Jack stiffened. But what about me?
Onyx had first appeared in a nightmare and had never left. The black-haired girl was sitting in the empty desk beside his and narrowed her golden eyes at him.
You don't count anymore, Jack told her coldly, 'cause you're never around anyway.
I'm here now, aren't I?
Jack chose not to reply to that. Why was Onyx there? She usually disappeared for days - sometimes even weeks - at a time, and then she would return as if she'd been there all along. Maybe she was there.
Jack took a deep breath and tried to ignore her. Then he saw Baby appear, and Onyx reached over and pulled her hair harshly.
Ow!
Jack closed his eyes and held his head in his hands. We only have thirty minutes until lunch. Can you guys behave until then?
Sorry, Baby said softly, and Jack opened his eyes to see her rubbing her head. We'll be quiet, she promised, smiling.
But Jack could see them now. Onyx was glaring at everyone while Wind was trying to mess with someone's hair, and Baby was trying to see a girl's bracelet. Not that anyone else knew it, but it was getting annoying.
Stop it!
They stopped instantly, and Onyx rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. Thanks, Jack thought, rubbing his forehead wearily. After so many years, you'd think I'd be used to you guys by now.
Onyx started it! Baby blurted out, pointing at the older-looking girl.
The dark-haired girl snapped her teeth at Baby's finger, which was pulled away with a squeak. Baby hid behind Wind, who frowned at both of them.
Jack! Did you see that? She almost bit me!
Shut up, brat! Onyx snapped, annoyed.
Onyx, Baby, stop! Jack was starting to get a headache.
"Jackson! Stop daydreaming." The teacher's stern voice caught Jack's attention. "You have an essay to turn in before class is over."
Jack blinked and looked at the board where the details were written. How much time had he been fighting with Baby and Onyx?
...Almost fifteen minutes. There was no way he could finish the essay before the end of class.
Oops. Jack winced as he got started. Mom's gonna kill me.
You think? Onyx replied, smirking.
Once Jack had gotten home, he noticed his mom's car in the drive way. He grabbed the mail and saw a letter from the school. Report cards. Great.
"Hey, Mom, my grades are here," Jack said quickly, handing her the letter before walking swiftly through the living room toward the stairs.
"Wait a moment, Jack." Toothiana stopped her son from heading to his room as she opened the letter. "Come see your grades."
"Actually, Mom, I really - " Jack began, but Tooth was already looking over his grades. He waited nervously for the verdict.
"Do you want to explain these to me?" she asked him after a moment. Her tone was disappointed, and Jack sighed before trying to smile.
"There's nothing to explain."
Busted, Wind and Onyx said together, unhelpfully.
Really? I haven't noticed! Jack grumbled silently at them, trying to focus on his mom's words.
"Then why are you failing every class?" Tooth asked worriedly, pushing a strand of black hair out of her face. Her son didn't answer. She sighed. It was like this every time Jack's grades came in. "Jack, your father and I are worried about you. If something's wrong, you can always talk to us."
Nicholas st. North and his friend Sanderson Mansnoozie entered the living room as Jack was telling his mom, "I'm fine, Mom. Nothing's wrong. I just forgot to turn in some stuff."
"In every class since the first day of school?" Tooth asked him disbelievingly. "Jack - "
"I'll go to tutoring or do some extra credit." Jack smiled reassuringly at her, but she didn't seem to believe him. "I'll bring my grades up soon, I promise."
Tooth bit her lip, but she decided to let it go for the moment. "Fine."
Jack went to his room, and the moment the door was shut, he turned to glare at the trio. Baby gave him an innocent look while Wind whistled tunelessly and Onyx ignored him. "Why can't you guys shut up during school? I almost got afterschool detention because of you!"
And we should care why? Onyx asked dryly.
Wind tugged on her hair painfully and was given a snarl. Think about who's in charge here, stupid, he pointed out. Jack can get rid of us if he wanted to. Jack hadn't even thought of that being possible until then.
He might not be able to, Baby said slowly, glancing at Jack. Wind gave her a look that silenced her.
But he could. There's always a chance.
"Are you listening?" Jack demanded, and they stopped fighting. "It doesn't - "
There was a quiet knock on the door. Jack froze. "Who is it?" Don't tell me my parents heard me...
There were three taps, and Jack relaxed before opening the door with a wide grin. "Hey, Sandy!"
Sandy was the only person who knew about Wind, Baby and Onyx. It had taken a long time for him to get used to the idea that the teen was seeing and hearing things that weren't real, but now the older man was mostly curious about the voices, who all seemed to have a mind of their own.
The blond, mute man signed, "Why are you failing?"
Jack looked down at the shorter man and thought about lying. Then he shrugged. "Wind and Baby have been talking a lot during school."
Don't tell him that! Baby cried, and Wind shushed her.
"Ignore them," Sandy advised, but Jack shook his head.
"It isn't that easy." Sometimes it was, but not always.
"Have you talked to Mr. Lunar about it?" Sandy asked with a helpless shrug.
Mr. Lunar was a school counselor, who had once caught Jack talking to himself the year before. He had also been the one to tell Sandy that hearing voices and seeing things was quite normal. A bit distracting and often confusing, but still normal.
Jack had stopped talking to Mr. Lunar after a girl in Jack's class had made fun of him for having to go to the councelor's office so much.
Jack hesitated, and Sandy frowned and insisted, "You should talk to him about this."
The teen nodded. "Okay. I'll go see him tomorrow."
Sandy smiled and gave him a thumbs-up before going back downstairs. Jack closed the door and looked at the voices.
I remember Mr. Lunar, Baby said suddenly, then shrunk slightly under three glares. I'm just saying...
Did anyone ask you? Onyx growled. Baby looked down sadly, and Onyx said smugly, I thought so.
"Cut it out, Onyx," Jack told her sharply, then turned to Wind. "What do you think? Should we go see Mr. Lunar again?"
Wind was the one Jack depended on the most. Baby was a good friend, but Wind had been around longer and Jack trusted him more.
Wind shrugged. I guess we should. It's probably the only choice we have at the moment. He paused. He'll probably call you in soon anyway to talk about your grades.
"I know." Jack covered his eyes and sighed. "This sucks."
It does, Wind agreed, and Jack couldn't help smiling as he uncovered his brown eyes.
"So we'll just talk to Mr. Lunar tomorrow," he said with a nod.
During lunch would be okay, right? Baby suggested, but Jack hesitated, remembering the girl who had picked on him before.
"The cafeteria's right across the hall from the front office," he said slowly. "Anyone can see me going in there."
Weirdo, freak, pyscho, stupid... Onyx smirked, and Baby discreetly moved away from her. Teens can be very cruel to each other.
Coming from Onyx, it made the other students sound worse than they were. But now Jack wasn't too sure if he still wanted to go see Mr. Lunar.
You should, Wind said quietly. If anyone bothers you, tell them you have to talk about your classes. That's all you have to do.
Besides, Onyx added with a sly grin, it isn't like you have any friends to worry about. Nobody even likes you. Jack and Wind glared at her, but she murmured, I'm only saying the truth.
Jack glanced at Wind, who shrugged. Onyx had been right when she said Jack didn't have any friends, so maybe he didn't have to worry so much. So he decided to go to Mr. Lunar's office during lunch.
~RotG~
The ideas I come up with at midnight...