"So you're the spirit of the rain?" Jack smiles. I just nod, leaning rigidly against the bridge. Pitch has a similar pose as me but he's leaning against the opposite side of the bridge. Obviously he's not thrilled about this bonding session either from the glare he's currently fixed on me. But Jack is all too happy. "I've never met another Elemental Spirit before." He states happily.
"Are we rare?" I find myself asking, then want to smack myself for encouraging him. It's not that I don't like Jack, but I'm not a very nice person. I don't want him to get the wrong impression about me. Pitch certainly doesn't have the wrong one.
"I dunno. Pitch says no, but he may just be being a brat and lying to me. He does that." Pitch casts an annoyed glance at the winter spirit, but doesn't comment. I accidentally smile for a moment before stopping. "So...what exactly are you the Guardian of? Like I used to be the Guardian of Fun and all the other guys have their centers. So, what about you?" He asks curiously. I give him a confused look. No one ever clarified to me that I had to be Guardian of something. And what is he talking about with centers?
"I don't know." It's a simple way of summing up everything I've just thought, but it resounds in me so much more than I thought it would. I don't know what MiM meant me to be Guardian of. Or even why he made me a Guardian. Jack frowns at the sad look on my face and changes the subject quickly, and to something completely random.
"Hey, how do you get around? I'm always curious. Pitch uses shadows, I fly, Bunny has the tunnels. What does the Spirit of Rain do to jump ship?"
"Uh, water. Anything from puddles to the ocean." His eyes get wide in curiosity and he smiles, asking for more information. "I just think of where I want to go and the water will take me there. It also heals me if I get hurt."
"That's so cool." He smiles. I do too. I can't help it. There's something entirely likable about Jack. Now I get why the Guardians prefer him to me. But, at the thought of the Guardians, my face falls again. Pitch perks up slightly, like he's keeping tabs on my emotions and I just gave him a pick me up. Then again, knowing Pitch, I probably did. "You okay?" Jack sounds so concerned about me even though we're just meeting.
"Just thinking." I shrug.
"About the Guardians?" He guesses. I don't shrug, or nod, or hint at anything, but Jack seems to know. He gives me a sad smile. "I don't know what's gotten into them. I mean Bunny's always been a little twat, but I'm surprised at North and Tooth and Sandy! Especially Sandy, I mean he's like the Zen guy who accepts everyone. He even accepts Pitch!" From the look on the Boogeyman's face, I can see it's not by choice that he's accepted. Pitch notices me watching his expressions and glares at me. I return the look. I wonder if he told Jack about our little talk earlier today. A familiar feeling of loathing courses through me at the memory and he smirks. "Okay I don't know how, but you guys are like communicating without speaking and it's kinda creepy." Jack informs us. Instantly the two of us look at each other and at him, not looking back at the other.
"She's just so easy to read." Pitch smirks when I can't think of anything as a response. I scoff and storm right up to him, holding my ground even when I realize he towers like a foot over me. I've had just about enough of him being a pompous little bastard.
"That's bullshit Pitch, you just know exactly what I'm pissed about!" I snap. He too steps forward, trying to intimidate me right back.
"No I don't because you'll recall you nearly drowned me before I could find out!"
"I'll do it again you exaggerated campfire story!"
"Go drown in a puddle you enchanted rain cloud!"
"Guys!" My anger instantly evaporates into embarrassment as I realize Jack is still here. A blush colors my cheeks ever so slightly at the look Jack is giving the both of us. Like we're little kids. Siblings arguing over who has to do dishes. Pitch has a similar look, like a reprimanded child. And Jack apparently thinks it's hilarious because he starts laughing uncontrollably.
"Jack it's not funny! She's nothing but a self important, woe-is-me brat who feels sorry for herself!" Pitch claims.
"Tough words coming from the man who hides under beds and is afraid of a golden man who's two feet tall." I point out. The look of absolute detest on his face is all I need to go on. "Oh, and Jack is it true what they're saying? Does the Boogeyman check his closet for Chuck Norris before going to bed every night?"
"Don't you have a monsoon to deliver to a third world country?"
"Don't you have some poor little kid to scare. No wait, you don't. Because kids aren't scared of you, are they Boogeyman?" I can tell I'm pushing it from the way steam is coming out of his ears. But before he can totally blow, Jack steps between us, still trying to recover from his laughs. But it calms down Pitch and I think I dodged a bullet. But his glares feel all the more heated now.
"I like you Audra. You're not afraid to take a swipe at Pitch. No offense love." He sends a smile at Pitch that's so innocent and angelic that a penguin is probably squealing in ecstasy right now. And apparently his smile is Pitch's weakness because suddenly the Nightmare King looks like he's struggling to remember the battle that just went down (which I won). Instead he steps up possessively behind Jack and wraps his arms around the frost spirit. "You should come visit with the Guardians sometime. Maybe you can keep Pitch amused while they talk." He invites, though I can just imagine how thrilled Pitch would be at the idea if he wasn't currently stuck in Jack-Land. "Oh, and there's gonna be an awesome snowball fight later this week in Burgess! Jamie says I should bring you." He winks for some reason.
"Uh, maybe. I guess it depends on if something goes down before it that prevents my attendance." I say, although I probably won't go. He gives me a big smile despite his obvious knowledge of my intentions.
"So, see ya later? I mean, I'd like to. You seem pretty cool Audra." He insists, though I can't for the life of me imagine where he got this notion of me being nice! Didn't the little bicker fest Pitch and I just have tip him off? But I nod. He grins and waves slightly ,and Pitch gratefully takes it as the end of the conversation and summons his shadows to take the two away. I stare at the weird event as it happens, then at thin air once they're gone. I don't know exactly what to do now. If Jack came to find me, I have no doubt the Guardians will be bitter. They've been hiding me from Jack for months now, and apparently they've failed. Great. Another reason for them to hate me. I never asked for any of this. And I'm pretty sure it wasn't in the job description.
Instead of stewing over the subject, which would eventually end in me feeling sorry for myself and cussing out the Guardians, I start to walk, looking around. Burgess. I have no idea how I ended up in Burgess. Probably fell into a lake while I was upset and popped up here. Sometimes I do that. But Burgess isn't known for record rainfall like some other places, so I best be off. Someplace it does rain a lot. Maybe Washington. I've always like Washington. But...I haven't been to the Amazon in a long time. And it's called a Rain Forest for good reason. Spying a puddle of murky water, I think of the beautiful forest before stepping into the water. I'm only ankle deep when suddenly someone's pulling me out of the water and into a big ass bear hug.
"I thought I sensed a nuisance!" The annoying New England accent of Johnny Appleseed is usually like music to my ears. But right now, I could cry at how much I missed it. I wrap my arms around his neck once I realize it's him and sob quietly. "Well if I knew you were gonna be all emotional I woulda let ya go." He jokes, tucking my hair behind my ears.
"Sorry, I just...it's been a long day. You have no idea how happy I am to see you Johnny." I give him the best, most fake smile I can. But, knowing me as well as he does, he sees through it in a moment.
"Whats up kid? I knew something was going down, what with the big storms recently. But...you just look terrible." I sniffle a laugh.
"Thanks Johnny, always the charmer." He laughs to before bringing me to his chest again, running his fingers through my soaked hair. "It's funny. I was just talking about you today." I recall my conversation with Jamie. He chuckles.
"I heard. I also heard Jack Frost calling you a Guardian." His face is something quite akin to priceless. A mix of disbelief and confusion. Pretty much my face when I was called. I scratch the back of my head with half a smile. How am I gonna explain this to him?
OOOOO
North paced the dark shadowy room as they waited for Jack to return. None of the Guardians wanted to leave, in case Jack would be back soon. But they were also worried that Jack would be mad at them once he came back. An hour came and went and still they waited, North pacing the entire time. It was starting to drive the others insane, but no one had the heart to ask him to stop. After all, it was all their faults that he was pacing and Jack was off with Pitch and Audra. If only they'd talked with Jack about her instead of hiding her. And if only they'd been nicer to the girl. Every one of them thought they could justify keeping her at arms length but really they all felt guilty.
"A lovely emotion. I enjoy it immensely." All of the Guardians eyes went to the doorway where Pitch leaned, a sarcastic smirk on his face. Jack was just to his side, not bothering to ask what Pitch was sensing. He knew from the looks on his friends face it was probably something unpleasant and uncomfortable. Before any of them could start talking, he help up his hand.
"I don't know, and I don't want to know, why you've been treating Audra so poorly. Ignoring her and making her feel hated. But I'm ashamed of all of you. Especially you two Sandy and Tooth! Bunny your kinda a turd so whatever, but North you were the one I looked up to the most. Acting like she's terrible for taking my place, it's just wrong. You guys are gonna make things right with her, or so help me you don't get to visit ever again!" They all flinched at the deadly seriousness in his voice. There was no stopping Jack when he was like this. Even Pitch knew better than to stand up to him when he got a purpose behind him.
"Jack...we're sorry." Tooth tried to explain but his eyes only darkened.
"Then get out of here and make it right." He demanded. She hung her head but nodded. "And the next time you visit, bring her with you. You guys really have to see the way she teases Pitch." A sharp glare and uncomfortable shuffling from the four was his only answer. He stepped away from the door, walking down the hall to his and Pitch's room. The Guardians hesitated before gathering their stuff and nodding to Pitch.
"Please, come again." A deaf child could detect the sarcasm in his voice, but no one was in the mood to argue or fight. They had to find Audra, because none of them wanted to not see Jack for even a short period of time. He brought fun into their lives with his quick smiles and quirky laughter. They all loved Jack and if they had to, they'd humble themselves before the rain spirit to prove it.