It was continuing to be a very nice crisp afternoon on the Isle of Nature. For those of you who don't know, it's this uncharted little island off the coast of Hawaii. It belongs to Mother Nature of course! It's used has her headquarters all year round. Today she was having a gathering of sorts and had invited The Guardians of Childhood and a handful of other spirits, sprites such as Saint Valentine—who was probably known more as his alias Cupid to the people of the world—and the twins Hallow and Eve—the two spirits of the event on each October the 31st. Sandman had just arrived and was being flourished with countless greetings.
"Sanderson! So glad you could make it!"
That particular greeting had come from Mother Nature herself with graceful arms outstretched. She was this middle aged looking woman who got crinkles by her eyes when she smiled. She had maybe the kindest, warmest eyes of blue and wavy brown locks that fell mid-torso. She wore a floor length tunic in a calming shade of orange today and a wreath of white carnations atop her head. She was what she was named for and tended all sorts of flora and creatures from all over the world. Not to mention she had a huge say in weather conditions and the bringing of the four seasons.
Sandman had smiled and gave what looked like whatever gesture that was associated with "Anytime.". He ascended to be at eyes level with the woman using his dreamsand and gave her a friendly hug.
"Why don't we go up to my home and truly begin our catch up with one another? Shall we?" Mother Nature announced after her embrace with Sandy. She turned around to her guests, who had just stopped their small talk and sipping of their punch to listen. Nature's butterflies also stopped serving the punch to turn their full attention onto their queen. But, these weren't any normal butterflies.
No, these were Mother Nature's special butterflies. More or so like her close assistants, rather helpers. They were slightly larger and their furry little bodies looked different compared to the average. Plus, they had the ability to talk. But, all you could hear would be mumbling because their voices were so high pitched! Another quirky thing about them was that they constantly changed the colour of their elegant wings, usually to match their Mother. All of them were the same calming orange as Nature's dress. Except this one butterfly who decided to be a rebel and wear a vibrant shade of purple.
Everyone started to follow Nature, with Sandy by her side. Jack Frost and Toothiana were behind them, Jack complaining about how it was too hot here and Tooth shushing him and telling him to be polite. Jack wanted so much to frost something and he'd just arrived here 5 minutes ago.
"Aw c'mon Tooth. One thing! Pleeeeasee! I'm melting here!" Jack protested quietly, making a pouty face.
"Jack Frost. I hereby command you to stop complaining and respect our hostess. It's been ages since Nature has invited us here!" Tooth replied sternly, rolling her eyes at the pun. On her shoulder sat Baby Tooth, who nodded with her arms crossed and nose up in the air.
Jack groaned which resulted with him getting pinched by the Tooth Fairy.
North and Cupid were behind those two and talking animatedly about possibly starting a "Santa x Valentines" toy line for the next Christmas. Mother Goose was behind them and after her was some Sea Sprites. Then walked the twins of Halloween. And next came a few other spirits and sprites leaving the Easter Bunny to follow at the caboose.
It's not that the six foot tall Australian Pooka didn't want to be here, it was just he was strangely at unease. He'd taken the day off like the others, meaning he would have to visit Rome and now Germany tomorrow to scout out new hiding places for his eggs. No but, that wasn't it. Maybe he was just feeling under the weather as he did have days like this before. Something was different though, he just couldn't grasp what it was.
He stopped in his tracks—and he didn't know why—when he saw movement through the bushes. His eyebrows lowered as he tried to peer through the plant growth… there it was again! Something golden? Maybe tan? But, it turned into a blur inside his mind. "What's in there?" he mumbled to himself. He shook his head. It was probably one of Nature's creatures but, something pulled him in, wanting him to go see what it was…
Bunnymund's train of thought was interrupted when a flock of Mother Nature's butterflies started to try to push him forward. He shook off the thought again and continued towards Nature's palace. Bunny could have sworn he heard the fluttering insects exclaim "Mother's secret! Mother's secret!" over and over again before bursting forward, through the open windows of Mother Nature's home.
Bunnymund was overtaken with confusion as he hopped up the stairs leading into the white, marble structure. "What had those little critters said again? 'Mother's secret!'? was it?" Bunny pressed the thought. So there was this secret… that Mother Nature has?—he had checked Mother Goose off his list of "suspects" if you would call it, to whom the butterflies were referring to—A secret about what? Something he already knew? And perhaps maybe the others?
Bunnymund shook his head for the third time in the past several minutes. Why was he getting so worked up about what the butterflies had said? I mean sure, the Pooka loved to hear secrets as did everyone else, it made the individual feel trusted. But, he would never force a secret out of anyone if they didn't feel comfortable with telling him. He abandoned the thought and made his way through the large wooden doors.
Inside Nature's humble home, a cheerful, lively ego echoed off the walls and Bunnymund instantly felt a bit better. He hopped forwards, averting his ears in the directions of all sorts of conversation.
"So you're Jack Frost! Nice to finally meet you in person!"
"Nice to meet you too! Uh—Pisces was it?"
"No no, I'm Pisces,"
"Oh, you have such lovely teeth!"
Bunnymund heard sand blowing in the distance.
"Well, you see… I haven't been able to quite get a new story in mind… I just feel so blocked,"
There was a squawking of a goose and some sound of agreement that followed shortly afterwards.
"Er—Nicholas… Could we move into my office to further discuss this 'confession' of mine?" Mother Nature hastily whispered to who Bunny knew now was no other than North.
Nature and North exchanged looks before slipping into a room with wide, white doors. Nobody had noticed the sudden disappearance of their hostess and burly Russian friend. Nobody that is, except the Easter Bunny.
Bunny knew in his mind that it wasn't the right thing to do but, something inside him made him hop over casually, just stopping by the hinges of the left door and pressing an ear to the intricately designed hardwood. He turned around swiftly making sure no one was watching him whilst multi-tasking on what he hate to admit was eavesdropping. He tuned into the conversation.
"Oh, Nicholas!—" Mother Nature cried out.
"Please Nature, call m'North," interrupted the Russian.
"North. As I was saying, I just don't think I can take it anymore! This is why I arranged the gathering of all of us in the first place! Surely if I came to stop by and discuss this matter with you at Santoff Claussen, it would cause very little—yet unsafe—curiosity with everyone else! You must understand!?"
It was weird because Bunnymund never heard Mother Nature talk in such a distressed form. She was always so calm about everything and usually thought things out in ways Bunny had only seen her do. He resumed to listening to the conversation.
"Please Mother Nature… you must calm down. North shall listen if you take deep breaths first. Okéy?"
There was a sound of an inhale and an exhale.
"Well, my friend," there was a pause in her voice. "Aster isn't the only Pooka left."
Silence.
As like the rest of my fellow ROTG fanfiction writers, this awesome possum "Rise of the Guardians" concept does not belong to me. But, the dialogue and plot is mine!
Well, there it is… First chapter of my first published story on Fanfiction.
Saying that, you don't know much I'd appreciate it if you could give me some feedback. Really, it'd mean the world to me if you did.
For the next chapter, I will try to get it up as soon as possible! I'm probably going to be writing in Bunnymund's point of perspective (by the way, as much as I love the art depiction of Bunnymund by William Joyce, in the story visualize him as the movie Bunny). Hm, what will happen next?
Until next time!
swallowed-bysociety
(The girl who personally finds Bunnymund very attractive)