Chapter 2 I'm Chosen
Hey, so yeah. Now we know a little bit about Valentine's past. And here we have Chapter 2!
Chapter Summary: The Guardians try to recruit Valentine as Valentine discovers she's not alone when it comes to being invisible.
(Jack's POV)
I looked up to the skies to see something similar to the Northern Lights.
I flew off. The kids wouldn't notice. After all, none of them believed in me anymore as far as I knew. I flew north, heading to North's workshop.
When I arrived, North and Bunny were in an argument, while Tooth was talking to herself and her fairies about something to do with teeth.
I flew in. "Hey guys, what'd I miss?" Sandy pointed to the opening from which I'd flown in from. I turned and looked.
"Hey, um, guys?" I said. "Man in Moon is here."
Everyone stopped and looked. "Man in Moon! Long time, old friend!" North said. "Tell us, what is big news?"
A black shadow appeared on the floor. It took the form that looked similar to Pitch.
Bunny looked at North. "It is Pitch."
North patted his belly.
"Wait," I said. "I'm lost."
Tooth looked at me. "North saw Pitch."
"What? Pitch? He's been gone for 300 years!"
"He's returned," said North. "I suspect he's up to something." He looked up at the moon. "What must we do?"
The moon shone a beam of moonlight a patch on the floor. It opened up and a crystal rose up.
"He's chosen a new Guardian," North breathed.
"Another one?" Bunny asked. "Why?"
"Must be big deal."
"I wonder who?" Tooth cried. Sandy made a picture of a four-leafed clover.
"Please not the groundhog. Please not the groundhog," Bunny mumbled. A form began taking shape above the crystal.
The figure was female, with long hair in a ponytail. She wore a thin jacket, which was unzipped to reveal a t-shirt dotted with little hearts. She also wore a pair of blue jeans and boots that could be zipped up. Around her neck was a heart-shaped locket, with a heart-shaped gem in the middle.
"Hm. Valentine," North said, surprised.
"Uh, I take that back. The groundhog is fine," said Bunny.
"Well, as long as she helps to protect the children," Tooth said.
"Valentine? She doesn't have anything in common with children! All she does is spread her magic dust, and, and, ruin lives! Alright, she's an irresponsible, selfish-"
"Guardian," finished North, his arms crossed as he gazed at Valentine.
"Besides," said Tooth. "You said something similar about Jack, and look how good he turned out!"
"What?" I asked. I'd been lost in the girl's face. I couldn't help but feel like I knew her from somewhere. I wasn't sure where though.
(Valentine's POV)
It was dark out now. As I flew over downtown, something caught my eye. It was a dark blur, much faster than my eyes could register. I landed near where I'd seen the blur, looking around nervously. Behind me, I felt a rush of wind. I spun around, but nothing was there. Behind me again, farther away, I saw the blur out of the corner of my eye. I raced after it. I soon came to a three-way dead end. I looked around me, my eyes dark, my hands near my sides as if to grab something.
"Hello, mate," I spun around, and saw a large shadow vaguely the form of a large rabbit. "Been a long time. It was '98, I believe." Easter Bunny walked out of the shadows. "Easter Sunday, wasn't it?"
"You're not still mad about that, are you?" I asked.
"Yes," he said, glaring as he flipped his boomerang in his hand. "But this is about somethin' else. Fellas."
A large hand grabbed me from behind. "Hey!" I yelled as I was thrown into a red sack. I heard the breaking of glass then I screamed as I felt myself being thrown.
When I stopped spinning, I felt myself bouncing onto a floor.
"She's here," a voice said quietly.
Another voice said, "Sorry I'm late, I-" The voice stopped midsentence. "Guys… Why?"
"Quiet," the first voice told him. Sighing frustratingly, I pushed the sack open with my hand a bit, looking around. When I looked in front of me, my mouth dropped.
Santa grinned. "Hey, there she is." He matched the first voice. I pushed the sack off me more to look around me better. Next to Santa stood Sandman. On his other side, Tooth Fairy fluttered. Easter Bunny leaned against a pillar near Sandman. And floating behind Sandman, was a boy with white hair, his face covered by his hand. "Valentine!" The moved his hand to look at me. Was he cute.
"Santa, wow… you've gotta be kidding me." Two large hands picked me up. "Hey, hey, put me down!" I was gently put me down on the floor so I was standing.
"I assume the Yetis treated you well?" Santa asked, beaming.
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, glaring. "Oh yeah, sure. I love being shoved into a sack and thrown into a magic portal!"
"Oh, good. That was my idea," said Easter Bunny. I rolled my eyes at him and glared.
"The big Four," I said, beginning to pace, "all together. Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Sandman, and the Easter Bunny."
"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot," I said. "Jack Frost."
"So, anyways, anyone want to tell me why I'm even here?" I turned around in my pacing. "I must have down something really bad to get all of you together. Wait," I looked at Santa. "Am I on the naughty list?"
I turned away, smiling, as Santa replied. "You hold small record. But, no matter. We overlook. We're wiping clean the slate."
I turned to look at him. "How come?"
"How come? I tell you how come! Because now, you are Guardian!" Say what? I thought.
Suddenly, all this music started up. I stared around me, and stamped my foot hard.
"HEY!" I shouted loudly over the music, which dimmed and stopped. "What makes you think I want to be a guardian?" I saw Jack Frost cringe.
"Of course you do," Santa said. "Music!"
"No, no music," I shouted. The elf threw down his trumpet and stomped off.
"You guys don't want me," I said. "All of you are hard work, and deadlines. I'm just hearts, kisses, and smiles. I'm not a Guardian."
"Val, I don't think you fully understand what it is we do," Jack Frost said. "See that globe? Each of those lights represents a child. And we protect them."
"Oh, no," I said. "That is not me. No offense."
"How, how, how was that not offensive?" Bunny asked. "I mean, what does this clown girl know about bringing joy to kids? And none of them believe in her, either!"
Tooth gasped. "Bunny! Enough."
"No, no," I said, holding up a hand. "He's right. The kangaroo is right."
"The what, now?" Bunny growled, getting in my face. "Listen, here. I'm a bunny, kid." I noticed the white-haired boy stifling a laugh behind him.
"Come with me," Santa/North said. He took me to his office. "Now, we get down to text." The door slammed shut and locked. "Who are you, Valentine? What is your center?"
"Wha, my, my center?" I asked.
"Val," said North. "It's our job to protect the children of the world. For as long as they believe in us, we will guard them with our lives. But, now we face a threat greater than ever before." He looked at me closely. "We need your help. And we can't do it without you."
"Why me?" I asked.
"If Man in Moon chose you to be Guardian, that must mean you have something very special inside of you."
I shook my head. "I'm not special. Not in the slightest."
"You must be. I put wonder into the world. It is my center. So what is yours?"
I looked down. "I-I don't know…"
How was that? You review to let me know, okay? Thanks. I'll have more chapters coming up soon.