"Vacation?" asked Jamie, the kids taking a break from their snowball fight as refreshments had been brought out by Jamie's Mother, Sophie munching on a cookie while they listened to Jack's news update.
"Apparently every ten years or so the spirits of the world all get together for a week long vacation." Shrugged Jack, perched on the fence, his usual hoodie replaced by a white and blue striped sweater, the old blue hoodie having met it's demise a month ago after a scuffle in the Warren ripped it clean in half. "You should have seen Tooth's face when I told her I always skipped it..."
"What?!" Jack winced at the fairy's shriek, even Bunny flattening his ears with a his of pain. "What do you mean you've never taken a vacation?!" Jack shrugged, freezing an Elf as it tried to pilfer one of his favorite cookies.
"I mean I've never taken a vacation. What's the point? I mean, I AM the guardian of Fun. Why bother?"
"Frostbite has a point." Snorted Aster, painting a green egg with light blue stripes. "Since when does the clown actually work? He said it himself, snowballs and fun times."
"Hey!" huffed Jack. "Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to make the perfect snowfall? It has to be just wet enough to pack, but light enough to shovel, hard enough to build with and soft enough not to break bones in a snowball fight, while STILL making it shimmer, and trying to prevent black ice on roads is NO picnic Kangaroo."
"Riiight." Drawled Aster, returning to his work. North clapped him hard on the back, chuckling.
"Then first time for everything, ja?" he boomed merrily. "We cruise through Hawaii!"
"Pass." Said Jack. "I don't do hot weather."
"It's important you go!" said Tooth. "ALL the guardians have to attend! We use the time to get updates of gossip and information from the grape vine, and know what's going on with which countries and about the children from around the world! You NEED to show up!"
"Why? Nobody cared before." Jack winced at the pained look in Tooth and North's eyes. "Look, I didn't mean it like that. It's just nobody really cared if I showed up or not. Why is it so different now?"
"Because very few know a face for new guardian!" said North. "Must meet spirits! Socialize! Form bonds!" Jack couldn't help but notice the jolly Russian pointedly stared at Aster with that statement.
"Bonds?" he asked, wishing for his Father figure to elaborate.
"Friendship, maybe a little romance if Cupid has anything to say about it." said Tooth. "Oh, and you simply MUST meet Hallow and April Fool! You'd get along so well!" Aster looked mortified.
"Ya got a bloody bunch of roos loose in the upper paddock Tooth!" he scoffed. "Frostbite associating with the likes of those little dills will NOT end well. Ya may as well set him up with that greasy root rat Groundhog!" Jack laughed at Aster's panic, snickering at the venomous glare the grey Pooka shot his way.
"Oh, you're so melodramatic Bunny!" sighed Tooth. "Groundhog isn't THAT bad."
"What's a root rat?"
"Come! We must pack!" declared North, picking up Jack by his hood. Jack groaned, Tooth chattering a mile a minute about family pictures and water polo (whatever that was) as North dragged him off, laughing happily. Aster sent them an annoyed glare, but Jack couldn't help but feel that, for once, he wasn't the target…
"Why did you skip it?" asked Cupcake. "You are the guardian of FUN. Vacations are fun!" Jack shrugged.
"Never saw the point." He said. "Besides, I was to busy figuring things out to really care about the time, and most of the spirits didn't seem too fond of me. Instead I used the time to try and break into North's workshop. By the way, I don't recommend trying. Never got past the yetis, and they pack a punch."
"But…a Vacation!" said Jamie.
"Well, this year I don't get a choice in the matter." Snorted Jack. He cleared his throat and imitated a Russian accent. "Since I'm guardian blah, blah, blah appearances yak, yak, yak make good impression yakity yak." The children giggled, making Jack smile. This is what he was all about, bringing joy to the children. Of course, the fact they can SEE him only sweetened the deal.
"Where are you vacationing anyway?" asked Monty shyly.
"Hawaiian Cruise." Said Jack. "Some sort of magic control keeps everyone at a good external temperature. Not sure how that works. Maybe I can steal the technology to harass the Kangaroo."
"Easter Bunny! Hop, hop, hop!" giggled Sophie, clapping, the children paling and snickering at the same time.
"That's right Soph!" said Jack. "Oh man, I wish you could have seen the masterpiece I pulled this morning. Not going to tell you how I got them, but it will take Cottontail FOREVER to get rid of all those tennis balls!" Jack laughed and lost his balance, but instead of biting it at the base of the fence, he hit something fluffy and furry with a pounding heart beat, evil intent practically radiating off it. He looked up to see infuriated green eyes staring down at him, a low growl in the bunny's chest. Smiling cheekily, he poked Aster's nose.
"Well if it isn't the grumpy old Easter Kangaroo." He snickered. "Impressive. Four hours and forty two minutes. Thought it would take at least eight hours to get rid of all those tennis balls." Aster ground his teeth together, obviously holding in choice words for the sake of the kids. While the two exchanged aggressive, somewhat derogatory banter, the kids stared worriedly at the two. Well, except for Cupcake and Pippa, who were looking on with mild amusement and extreme exasperation. They sighed loudly, getting half of the spirit's attention.
"Oh my GOD the UST is suffocating. Hurry up and kiss already!" Groaned Cupcake, Pippa nodding in agreement. The rest of the children (save for Sophie) gasped, looking at the two guardians who, distracted by the outburst were both looking on in confusion.
"WHAT?!" Sputtered Jack, Aster's ears going flat as his eye twitched. "What the Hell is UST?!"
"Unresolved sexual tension." Jack sputtered, this time actually falling off the fence. Aster grabbed him by the hood and hoisted him in the air.
"As much as I'd LOVE to beat the living daylights out of ya, North wants you at the pole." Huffed Aster. "Fellas." A yeti, somehow hidden behind the fence, popped up with a familiar red sack, Bunny moving to shove Jack inside. With a grunt, he tore loose from Aster and laughed, the yeti yelling in gibberish.
"Not on yer nelly mate." Snickered Jack, doing a horrible impression of an Australian accent as he landed on a power line. "The sack won't work this time~"
"Get yer skinny arse back here ya bloody show pony!" Jack laughed, the Pooka chasing after him. "North told me to drag yer frosty butt to the pole, and damn it yer going to the pole!"
"Is that a challenge, Crocodile Bundee?"
"Ya don't want to race a Rabbit mate." The yeti face palmed, the children laughing as the Easter Bunny chased Jack, Bunny having the advantage of speed, while Jack was smaller and more agile in the snow. Jack was laughing all the way, while Bunny threatened him from below. Finally, the Pooka had enough. He hid, waiting for Jack. He didn't have to wait long. Jack touched down, wondering where the Bunny had gone. Aster readied the sack, and charged. Jack jumped, but the sack came down over his head, Aster scooping him up and tying the strings shut. The kids giggled as the VERY annoyed Easter Bunny handed the yeti the squirming sack. The yeti made a garbled noise and flung a portal, throwing Jack through before hopping in himself. The children waved sheepishly as the portal closed. Bunny shot Pippa and Cupcake a barbed look.
"Yer too young to even THINK along those lines." He snorted, tapping his foot and summoning a portal. The hole closed up as Bunny disappeared, Sophie smiling away.
"Bye-Bye Easter Bunny~" she giggled, waving a hand with her hot cocoa in another. The boys looked at Pippa and Cupcake.
"UST?" asked Monty. "Really?"
"OH yeah." Snickered Pippa. "Why else would Jack pick on him all the time? And if Bunny didn't like him, you think he would chase him down for a stupid nickname and…tennis ball prank. Damn, I wish I could have seen that." Suddenly a little portal opened up, an Christmas elf dragging an envelope behind him. Written in messy blue ink was the words 'From Jack'. Jamie opened the envelope and choked. The Warren was lost under a sea of rainbow tennis balls, egglets undamaged but stuck in the mess, the egg golems panicking as they tried to waddle through, Bunny hopping on top of he stone eggs and trees, chasing after a laughing Jack. On the back was a tiny note.
Prank Kangaroo thirty nine: Success.
"Like little boys pulling pigtails." Sighed Cupcake.
"Why would anyone want to pull a pig's tail?" asked Jamie. "They smell worse than a wet yeti!" Pippa and Cupcake sighed.
"Boys."