New Life, New Guardians
Hello everyone! I'm sorry I haven't updated since last August but my muse had left me completely stranded for awhile. As it is, my other two stories, "Homeward Bound" and "Stranger in a Peaceful Land" are still on haitus. Hopefully I'll be able to pick them up again soon. I have recently seen Rise of the Guardians (twice) with my friends, and like many, fell absolutely in love with it; it kick started my writing ability and I have wanted to write this since. My friends have been my greatest inspiration so far; they have beta'd my work and gave me OCs to use in the story. Thanks guys! The OCs they have given me are: Emily, Amelia, and Aphrodite. As always, PLEASE review and tell me what you think! It lets me know that people are reading and enjoying what I write and gives me inspiration to continue.
And so, without further ado, I give you the first chapter of my new story.
Names: Alannah - "a + lan + a", Emily, Amelia, and Aphrodite
BEEPBEEPBEEP! BEEPBEEPBEEP! BEEPBEEPBEEP! BEEPBEEPBEEP!
"DIE!" A mumbled shout came from a tangled mass of hair as a hand emerged from the covers to hit the clock, effectively stopping the frantic alarm. The lump in the nest of covers shifted, a groan emanating from the occupant as they slowly rose to a sitting position.
Alannah blinked her eyes a few times before rolling out of bed, shivering slightly at the chilly air. Interlocking her fingertips, she arched her back and pulled her arms above her head, sighing in relief as several clunks and cracks emanated from her back and shoulders. Shaking herself to wake up, the sixteen year old blearily ghosted her fingertips along her desk until she found her glasses, mashing them on her face.
Shivering once more, she quietly crept out of her bedroom and stepped across the hall to the bathroom.
Starting the shower, she ran her fingers through her tangled hair, staring at her reflection. Semi-awake green hazel eyes were framed by slightly crooked glasses, and thick, dark brows pulled together slightly as fingers caught a snarl in the shoulder length ashen-blond hair. Alannah stood at almost 5' 4", with a slightly stocky build and tanned peach skin; she had relatively clear skin and a heart shaped face with a more square jaw and slightly defined cheekbones.
By the time she had gotten the main of the matts out of her hair the shower was steaming, so Alannah turned from her reflection and checked that everything was in the bathroom before hopping in; she leaned out not two seconds later to place her now-wet glasses on the countertop.
+Fifteen Minutes Later+
Alannah emerged from the bathroom bright eyed and fully awake thanks to her uber-hot shower. She was dressed in tan cargo pants and a yellow-pink tie-dye shirt with Tweety Bird and the words 'Nerdy Girl' on the front in 70s lettering.
Padding down the hall into the living room she immediately shushed the dogs, the smallest yapping with joy as they spotted her.
"Quiet ya ninnies! You'll wake Mom up!" Thankfully the dogs quieted as she neared the back door, crowding around to be the first one out once she opened it. However, they froze in their tracks when the first frigid gust of wind blew in; Alannah had to bodily move them out the door, her breath fogging her glasses as she leaned out and dropped the Chihuahua on the patio.
"Go quickly and I'll let you back in." She told them and shut the door in their furry faces, leaving them to pad their way into the yard.
"Dear Lord, it's freezing out there! Why is it so dang cold?" The teen grumbled as she got the dog food out of the garage and walked back to the kitchen, letting the dogs in as she did so. The poor pooches ran inside and dived for the dog beds, shivering and looking miserable.
"Aw, did you guys get frozen into pup-cicles?" Alannah cooed, scratching Boomer (her hound dog) on the head before setting down the bowls.
She let out a quiet yelp of surprise when her cellphone buzzed its' way across the countertop. Snatching it up, Alannah opened the text with one hand and fished about in the fridge with the other.
Up yet? R U ready for the quiz in English tday? - Emily
Alannah quickly tapped out a response:
Yes, unfortunately. Quiz: as I'll ever be! She sent the text and switched to a conference-style text session.
So, Amelia, Aphrodite, how do you feel about this "wonderful" quiz today? A few moments went by before the answering buzzes sent the phone skittering away again.
Yes I am ready. No, I don't want 2 take it. It's 2 early 2 tlk. Let me sleep. - Amelia
I'm alright, I guess. Em, could you send me the notes for Chem? Teachr was talking too fast for me to write. - Aphrodite
Emily responded a moment later, keeping the conference text so Alannah could stay in the loop.
Sure, sending it now. Quick as a bunny; p - Emily
Alannah smiled at the movie reference.
They had recently seen the movie Rise Of The Guardians, in Alannah's case twice, andAmeliahad seen it thrice. All the girls had loved it, and were still rather obsessed with it, talking about it with their friends almost every day at lunch.
The agreement that they were slightly nuts was unanimous. But life is too dull without a little crazy, right?
ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG ROTGROTGROTG
Sanderson ManSnoozie smiled gently as he sent out his threads of dream sand to the last of the sleeping children.
Ropes of golden particles split into ribbons that twisted and danced around the children's heads; a superhero, a rock concert, a new puppy, and many other images solidified out of the sand, representing the dreams that were now soothing the resting minds of those they were created for.
Work finished, Sandy manipulated his sand cloud to take him high above the clouds.
Cresting the fluffy masses, the sand shifted into a biplane, Sandy's favorite traveling form. Aiming the rotors north, the Guardian began to make lazy arcs through the sky, sand streaming out behind him like skywriter's smoke.
In recent months Jack Frost had been insisting that they all meet for 'hanging out' and 'talking' rather than merely discussing their respective duties. As much as some may complain, all the Guardians appreciated the down time and Frost's antics.
+Twelve Minutes Later+
Fat snowflakes began to flit past the Sandman's head as he neared North's workshop; when he was close enough he dematerialized the plane and glided forward on a small sand cloud, entering the grand fortress through a passageway opened by yetis.
As Sandy shot through the hallways he began to notice several specs of color dancing around him. It was only when they crowded around him that he realized it was Toothiania's mini-fairies.
Seconds later their queen came whizzing down the hall past him, pausing just long enough to wave.
"Hi Sandy! See you in the Globe Room!"
He gave a small wave and went to follow only to find the mini-fairies looking at him expectantly.
Sighing softly, Sandy gave them a full-fledged grin, displaying all his pearly whites for them to critique.
He knew that they were in no way as white as Jack's (the kid was going to blind somebody one of these days), but he seemed to meet the approval of Tooth's fairies. They squeaked and smiled before zipping off after Tooth.
The Sandman noticed several things upon entering the Globe Room: Tooth was trying to break up an argument between North and Bunny, Jack was quietly freezing random things about the room, and a yeti had a tray full of hot cider. In other words, the 'play date' was starting out as it usually does.
He drifted over to sit next to Jack, the teen smiling in his direction as he creeped up on a group of unsuspecting elves.
When in range, the spirit of winter froze the ground beneath their feet and the cookies in their hands; several elves went down on their faces while others winced from an over-enthusiastic bite into a now frozen solid cookie.
"Ah, Sandy, there you are! I'm glad you could make it on such short notice!" North's voice suddenly boomed right behind Sandy.
The Guardian of Wonder joyfully gave Sandy a pat on the back in welcome, almost sending the smaller man face-first into the floor.
North leaned in and rumbled confidentially: "Manny has been restless lately, almost as much as Jack. Keep your eyes open. But," he chuckled, standing to his full height, "do not forget to enjoy yourself. After all, that is what this get together is about, no?"
"Whatever you say, mate." Bunny hopped past them, warming his feet by the fire. The Pooka nodded towards him, "Sandy, good to see you."
North laughed out loud. "Of course I am right Bunny. When am I not?"
"When you think primaries are better than pastels." Bunny muttered, keeping his voice below hearing range.
Tooth zipped up to hover next to Jack.
"So, what are we going to do today? I know Jack wanted to try elf bowling, but I think they might have been hassled enough. Bunny, were going to show us how to throw boomerangs anytime soon? Or," Suddenly her head snapped up and she looked at her fairies; "Alabama, two molars and a canine; Cork, six pre-molars and a bi-cusped!" She continued rambling as if nothing happened, "maybe we could just tell stories or play charades!"
The Guardians had by this time become used to Tooth's constant energy and random orders, and had begun to discuss the plans for the day.
Sandy was just about to mention the idea of going to the beach when a silvery sheen caught his eye. His golden gaze flicked up to the skylight just in time for the Moon to drift directly into place within it. The Sandman could feel the lightest of brushings against his mind as the Man in the Moon requested the Guardians' attention.
Unfortunately, the other immortals in the room were busy debating whether to do elf bowling or to tell stories. Sandy waved to try and attract their attention, and he felt the gossamer-like touch of Manny's thoughts try to enter their minds, but they remained oblivious.
Sandy's shoulder moved in a silent groan of exasperation and he looked for an elf to grab. However, they had noticed his failed attempts at being heard and had booked it down the halls; they did not want to be used as shaker-bells.
Lacking any way to make noise, Sanderson decided to try a more direct approach. Molding a glove out of dreamsand, he promptly wacked the three other males upside the head.
"Лед и ледники, это больно!" [1]
"Ow! Sandy, what was that for?!"
"Yea mate, what's gotten inta ya?"
Sandy rolled his eyes and gestured to the skylight. Four heads turned in near unison to look up; now that they noticed the moonbeams and the Moon itself, they felt the soft niggling of Manny vying for their attention.
Jack's head tilted quizzically. "Manny? What does he want?"
North glanced down at him. "I do not know, let us ask him."
He gazed up at the moon, its silver light filling the workshop. "Man in Moon! So nice to see you! Is there something the matter?"
In response a beam of moonlight, brighter than the rest shot down and rested on the storage cupboard in which North kept his snow globes.
Tooth, who was the closest, opened the cupboard door and removed a globe. She carefully flew over and deposited it in North's glove.
"Do you need us to go somewhere? Are there children in danger?"
This time North's query went unanswered. Instead, another beam lit up the ornate letter 'G' that was emblazoned upon the floor.
North and the others stared at it, waiting for the crystal to rise out of the floor. Seconds ticked by and nothing happened; Sandy ran his fingers through his hair as the strands of thought dancing by his mind strengthened. Closing his eyes, he let the inflictions and feelings run through him.
He suddenly understood; his eyes snapped open and he wildly gestured at North. When he turned to him Sandy motioned for him to put the snow globe on the floor in the beam of moonlight.
Blue eyes questioning, North did as Sandy suggested, and moments after the globe touched the floor the pedestal began to rise, this time with the globe half-submerged within the crystal.
"Okay, that's weird." Jack's comment broke the shocked silence as the crystal began to glow, and the light that was generated within started to transfer into the snow globe.
Bunnymund's ears flicked back and forth as he tried to understand what he was seeing.
"What's Manny doin'?"
Tooth drifted forward, looking intently at the phenomena in front of them.
"I think he's putting a specific destination into the snow globe; perhaps one we wouldn't be able to normally get to?"
Sandy nodded in agreement; Tooth's hypothesis made sense.
The light began to dim and the crystal retracted from the snow globe just enough so that North could pull it out before disappearing back into the floor. Now, instead of being clear with white snowflakes inside it, the snow globe was tinted blue with sparks of the aurora borealis dancing inside.
Once again, North addressed the celestial body above them. "Was there anything else we needed to know old friend?"
The gossamer thought-strands increased; everyone relaxed and let the Man in the Moon explain in his own way. Flashes of images, feelings, and inflictions ghosted through their heads until the message was clear.
"We're looking for someone?" Jack asked in surprise, shivering slightly as the foreign mind extracted itself from his own.
"Not just one person, Frostbite. I think Manny's got us lookin' for a couple of people" Bunny said, emerald orbs on the moon as it began its ascent back into its rotation.
"Well then, let's not just sit around and talk. We must find these people, whoever they are!" North exclaimed.
Sanderson tapped Nicholas's shoulder. Using his sand, he said that they didn't know if they were children or spirits or nonbelievers, or the conditions they were heading into.
Nicholas St. North smirked and reached for his swords.
"You worry too much Sandy. This is all part of the adventure." He began to stride out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Everyone come! To the sleigh!"
Jack and Tooth instantly took to the air. Sandy flew at a more sedate speed, keeping pace with Bunny as he reluctantly followed.
He let out an unheard chuckle when he heard his friend muttering furiously under his breath.
"Stupid… unsafe… death-trap… sleigh… loop-de-loops… bloody… insane driver…why can't we take the tunnels for once?"
[1] Ice and glaciers, it hurts! Phonetic - Led i ledniki, eto bolʹno!
And so ends the first chapter! Don't worry; I am taking this story seriously and plan to update every one to two weeks. Remember, R and R! I can't improve if you don't tell me what you like!
Until next time, TaleHeart