This just came to my mind, and I really wanted to finish it tonight (it's 1 in the morning—crap). Goodnight, all my fellow friends. My eyes can't seem to stay awake.
Narrating the beginning was so freaking hard. I tried not to give the premise of the one-shot away until we got to the dialog (probably failed, don't care—too tired).
Love you all!
Mini
There was a secret amongst the Winds—North, South, East, and West—and they'd preferred to keep it a secret from their fellow seasonal spirits. No one knew. Mother Nature, Manny, everybody, was clueless.
That was, until a certain snowy evening on December 17th.
North had been worried the most—after all, it was she who had set the date. Normally, it would be on the highest peak of Antarctica, the deepest cave, or the farthest stretch of land. Mistakes would be cleared up and rules would be made and set aside. But North had forgotten one important factor.
There was a winter spirit.
You see, they had always been able to take place. Mother Nature and Manny had taken care of Old Man Winter long ago, leaving the slate open and safe, despite their ignorance. Then Jack had been resurrected, and all hell broke loose.
Of course, after 300 years, that dispute had been long forgotten—but it should have been remembered. The argument of the century had taken place only hours after Jack was created and fallen asleep once again. Luckily, he didn't have the ability to hear through the dream state, but if he had….
North, what will we do now? Where will we go for the meetings?
South, you're overreacting. There's no need to move our desired location—he'll be clueless.
I agree with South, though. What if he follows you? You know that you're his favorite.
Immature, East. Immature.
I am not!
Eastie, you're younger than us all. By two hundred years!
That's not that long.
Yes. Yes, it is.
Why, West, you son of a—
Shut up, you two. North mentally rubbed her neck in frustration. If it comes to him seeing us, then so be it. Personally, I don't even know why we do keep these meetings a secret.
Because, North, we are the Winds! We were never meant to be seen the way we really are.
South, it's going to become harder and harder to keep this kinda thing a secret.
Sister, we need a new area!
Eastie's right.
Antarctica then! There's no reason he'd go there.
THAT'S WINTER HEAVEN, DIMWIT.
Shut the hell up, South. You got a better idea?
Silence. Fine. I see what you're saying. I just don't want him to get hurt. Goodbye.
Aw! You really do care!
I said goodbye, East.
Farewell.
Adios!
Bye-bye!
The short argument had ended with East's childish cheerio, giving them all time to think their actions over. North saw Jack moan slightly in his sleep and bolted over to him, caressing his cheeks with his cold element.
But 300 years had passed.
And they did not have the best memory.
December 17th, the Highest Peaked Cave
The air was lifeless around them. It hung like a jacket on a hook, still as a dead body. Four elves stood, arguing over a simple wooden table.
The eldest ranted to her brother. She had white hair that sported silver strands wildly, blue eyes that were lighter than ice, cheekbones on snow-skin that could cut you. A white gown flowed around her, shimmering silk and thick wolf fur kept her warm. Slender fingers delicately waved at the dark man in front of her.
His goatee was dark black and ragged, just as was his hair, and his face full of wrinkles. Dark brown eyes lay hidden under menacing eyebrows. His brown suit seemed slightly too big, the cuffs nearly covering his large hands. Black dress shoes shone with morning dew.
Across the room of ice, a small, petite girl could be seen. Her iridescent hazel eyes sparkled with fury as her small hands attempted to grapple her older brother. She had rich, curly brown hair that flowed down to the small of her back. Her cheeks were chubby but defined, as was her pout. Her skinny blue jeans hugged her small waist, white Keds stomping furiously, the dark green sweater hanging off her in a fashionable sense she could achieve. She was pale but slightly tan, and absolutely terrifying when she was angry.
The taller, well-built man that stared in terror at her was handsome. He was tan and thick, piercing green eyes and stubble. His shorts hung off him loosely, as did the white tank-top. His flip-flops tapped furiously on the ground. His hair was brown and blonde mixing together in beautiful harmony.
They were North, South, East and West.
"Hehe, listen here, Eastie," West laughed shakily, seeing her menacing form. "I'm sorry for calling you the baby of the fam—I know you're not that young, it's just that—"
"West, you better shut up!" she screamed, jumping on him and pounding his muscled back. Her voice held a British accent. "I don't give a shit if I'm only 20,356 years old! Just because you all have two centuries on me doesn't mean you need to point it out all the bloody time!"
"South, you keep interfering with winter." North scolded. "It was time for winter back there in Ireland. You should have given it up easier—he broke his wrist in that fall!"
"That isn't my fault, lady. You two should have never been there to begin with. He can't control us, dimwit." South scowled. "You had as much a part in it as I did. And who started the fight, I dare say?"
"You did, idiot!"
"No I did not."
"South, you came at me."
"Huh, that's not how I remember it."
Their quarrels continued on for hours and hours, eventually ending. But when was that ending?
"Bunny, you've gotta come see this."
Jack ran as fast as he could, air streaming around his face. The snow globes were in the next room, if only he could get there before….
"Frostbite! Get your arse back here!"
Bursting into the room, apologizing to North for the broken flying-ice-train, he stumbled over to the shelf filled with the magical orbs.
"Jack? Vhat you be doing?"
"Bunny." He panted, breaking the object on the ground after whispering Antarctica. "Covered in pink paint. Chasing me. Gonna kill me."
"Jack!" the large, sticky rabbit pounced into the room, brewing with anger. "Oh, hell nah! You ain't goin' nowhere!"
When Jack stood up again, he was in knee-deep snow. Breathing was hard, and there was a hot pink kangaroo laying on top of him.
"Bunny!" he gasped, choking and grasping around for his staff. "G-Get off of meh!"
The humiliated Guardian did so, clutching his chest. The paint was magic, and was disappearing quicker than Bunny had originally thought it would. "Sorry, Frostbite. Had no clue it would come off this e-easily." He frowned, looking the boy over. "Jack?"
His skin was turning blue from the lack of air. "St-staff." He wheezed. Aster understood immediately, hopping over (while sinking in the snow) to the Shepard's crook that laid no more than five feet away.
Air rushed back into the winter spirit's lungs as he gripped the piece of ancient wood. Bunny was beginning to look a bit blue himself and his eyes were bulging in effort to take air in. Jack twisted his hand around, creating two pebbles of ice in the palm of his hand.
Passing one to Bunny, who looked at it suspiciously, he sighed. "I'm not gonna poison you, Kangaroo. It'll melt in your mouth and provide artificial air for 24 hours." Popping one in his own mouth, he breathed out in delight at the sweet taste.
"Why couldn't we breathe?" Bunny asked after getting over his initial shock.
"It's happened once before, at least when I was here." Jack replied, helping Bunny to his feet. "The air seems to leave, like the Winds are off the job or something."
"That would be something, huh?"
"You can walk on the snow now, by the way. Stop tapping it like the ground's gonna give away."
Bunny did so, and they started walking. "That was impressive, Frostbite."
"What was?"
"That stupid prank." The pink had faded long ago, but the bit in Bunny's cheeks was unmistakable.
Jack smirked. "You should be glad that I was in a rush when I grabbed the paint. I could've grabbed the staining can…."
"Jack, shut up and go find a cave for us to make camp in."
"Since when do I do your bidding?"
"Frostbite. My paws are freezin' off and we don't have another snow globe. You can't fly for the time being. Just find one, will ya? There's too much water for any or us to be comfortable with."
Jack grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "yeah, no shit, Sherlock", and jumped away. He could hear sound coming from a hole in the mountain closest to them.
When he finally finished scaling the cliff (Aster following behind after seeing what the poor boy was up to), he climbed in, barely taking in his surroundings when it hit him.
Oh, my Moon. What. The. Hell.
"Bunny, you've gotta come see this." Everyone in the room shut up, staring in horror at the crazed boy. Bunny finally reached Jack's position, grunting from the effort.
His eyes became the size of saucers. "Are we…interrupting something?"
East covered her mouth in shock, eyes going wide, almost comically, and looked at North. She too had a shocked expression on her face, but hers held a guilty side.
South growled. "I told you! We needed to change location!"
"…South?" Jack whispered, recognizing his voice immediately.
"North, what do we do?" East said, eyes never leaving the two intruders.
"East?" Bunny wondered.
Jack stared at the pale woman that so closely resembled himself. "North?"
"West, knock them out." South grumbled. "And make sure they remember nothing."
"South!" East shouted in horror at the idea. "It isn't their fault they're here!"
"Yes, yes it is!"
"Jack… we never wanted you to find out this way." North bit her lip, shifting restlessly. "I was going to tell you at some point…."
"No you weren't." West retorted, fists raised.
"That's… okay?" Jack furrowed his eyebrows, not knowing the correct response. "But… woah. You guys, are, like, human?"
"Not really." South grumped. "Elves. Last ones, too."
"Manny restored us," East commented, over the shock. "Made us the Winds."
"This is so weird." Bunny said slowly, twisting his head and blinking profusely as if he were hallucinating. "That explains why were couldn't breathe back there."
"Oh, Moon, Jack." North cursed herself mentally, running up to him and checking him over. "Are you alright? I should've told you not to come—"
"Wouldn't have changed a thing." Bunny chuckled, glaring at Jack who had a guilty look on his face.
"I thought of one place that you wouldn't want to come to. This is Antarctica, Kangaroo. You're the springy-type-of-guy."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You didn't do what you were told."
"I wasn't told to do anythin'."
"The ice was supposed to keep you glued to floor so I could get away without having my head ripped off."
Even South was amused as the Winds watched the quarrel. North shook her head, knowing this was a normal occurrence in the life of the two. East was giggling. West was smirking.
"You know what?" North interrupted, handing both them hot chocolate (Jack immediately made his into a slushie). "How about we just talk?"
And talk they did.
END