Yay! Chapter 1 is done! I had a momentary pause when it came to the second half of this chapter, but only because I didn't know who I wanted to write about next- Bunny and Jack or Jinn and Pitch. I decided Jinn didn't need the spotlight- seeing as he already got enough of it in the prologue. So Jack and Bunny won me over in the end. Anyway, enjoy Chapter 1.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians, Guardians of Childhood or any of the crossover characters/worlds that will appear in later chapters. I do not gain any profit from this, because it is purely a story that was created out of my love for these worlds, and I only want others to see the worlds how I see them for enjoyment. ^v^ (Jinn was completely made up by me though…)
Chapter 1:
Ombric was a wise man- of this, no one ever doubted. (Even if they were sometimes sarcastic about it.) He knew his place in the world, and knew that everything had its place. He had lived so long in his home in Big Root, that he could tell if any leaves had grown or fallen from any nearby trees, and he could sense when a child was upset without having to even see them.
He knew where everything belonged and how everything should be, and immediately could tell when something was out of place.
It was because of this, that Ombric felt shaken, though the day had started normally enough.
The children had come to their lessons with bright smiles, and then went out to play. The parents were hard at work, making sure their children were happy and their homes clean. The Lady of the forest, the Great Bear and the trees said that no thieves or fearlings had even attempted to show themselves- if they were there at all. Even Kathrine was home, writing in her old tree house with her beautiful Himalayan Goose, Kailash, sleeping peacefully beside her.
Absolutely nothing was wrong with their home.
And yet, Ombric felt horribly uneasy. There was just something nagging at him; begging him to make sure everything was as it should be.
He was about to give up and go about his day, when a thought occurred to him.
'Were they all in the dungeon?'
It was a very secret fact- one that no one but he, Mother Nature, and Manny himself knew- that, while Big Root was the home of Ombric- and its large trunk made a very good home, along with a library and classroom- its roots were another fact all together. No one paid much heed to the roots- they were what they were and only lifted from the ground when there was danger.
However, beyond this tactful defense, there was something more to them. While the outer roots acted as a defense system, the inner- and therefore much larger- roots twisted together to form something akin to a room. It wasn't a very large room, and because the roots and soil blocked the sun out, and the roots drank from the rain it was almost too moist and cold for comfort.
It was a dungeon. In a sense, that is. One that Ombric had constructed when Mother Nature came to him with her first failure. She needed a place to keep it- for she could not simply put it down. Not only was it impossible, but she still felt motherly compassion for the large beast. She loved it to much to kill it. So Ombric hid it where no one would ever think to look, and where nothing could escape.
As the years passed by, Mother Nature failed her projects more and more. And the more she failed, the more Ombric's Root Room was filled with cages and chains.
At one point, it got so full that he had to ask Big Root to stretch its roots downwards even more, making different floors and expanding the Monster Dungeon as far as it would go.
Soon, hundreds of strange creatures lived in its bowels. They were all creatures that could not be killed- this was either by accident, or Mother Nature thought she could get away with letting immortality into the mortal world- and they all had bad mannerisms. From hostile to bloodthirsty. There was not a one that could be given an award for even minor good behavior.
It was because the dungeon was so well protected, and the creatures having no way to escape, that Ombric hadn't even thought to check it. Not once had a creature ever escaped- and good riddance to that- but now Ombric wondered if he had gotten a bit too careless with his watch. Surely nothing had come of it- a little neglect had never hurt the status quo before- but upon entering the dungeon, Ombric knew his uneasiness had stemmed from here.
The creatures were in an uproar. Some yelled curses, others laughed loudly- either from hysterics, or because they knew Ombric had been had. From a few, whose languages were similar to a rat or a mole's, he was able to make out a bit of what had happened.
"Chic-chitty-chit-chit… Yum shadow man come… chit-chippity."
"Chip-chickity… Take-um animal away… chit-chit."
A monster had been taken by Pitch. That was what Ombric gathered from the strange languages.
But which one had escaped?! There were hundreds, and Ombric couldn't easily ask these foul creatures, who would rather escape and perhaps kill him before they said even a single kind word.
Just then, one of the more docile- but still quite foul mannered- creatures spoke up. It was difficult to understand it, for it spoke in a strange dialect between an owl- in which he was fluent- and a dragon.
"Heooss taken hoom. Thee box fiend." Such a difficult dialect, but Ombric thinks he gets it. He speaks back, imitating the words in English.
"He's taken him? The… Box friend? What box friend?" The sour creature scowled at Ombric, as if he had made a mess of his own language.
"Yoossss, yoossss. Box fiend- Eternel Doorknisss." It took Ombric a moment, before fear shot down his spine.
No... Not that one. He'd take on any of the creatures here but that one.
Honestly, he didn't know why he didn't want the escaped creature to be Jinn. He didn't remember that creature being particularly nasty. However, just the fact that he no longer knew what Jinn looked like, and only the domineering black box that held him, seemed to be enough to try his nerves to the edge.
Quickly, he made his way to Jinn's crate. He did away with the protective spells, fully prepared to fight Jinn if the creature were still within. He was near ready to blast the creature to ashes if he could, though he knew that wouldn't help.
Ombric unfastened the lock and placed his hand upon the lid, bracing himself to open it. He took a deep breath, and hoped with all his might that there was a creature to still fight within the crate.
"One…" Another breath to steady his body's shaking.
"Two…" He stepped back slightly to prepare his stance and weapon. He was still shaking.
"Get ahold of yourself Ombric." A deep breath, then, eyes fixated on the crate, he decided he was ready.
"Three."
The lid came off.
Pure darkness waited within the crate, as if it were a liquid pool of blackness. Ombric shuddered at the idea of being in such a place for as long as Jinn had been.
He stayed at the ready for a moment, half expecting Jinn to jump out from the blackness, and half expecting that he was going to end up looking foolish for three minutes.
Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, or perhaps not, but the latter is what happened.
"Blast it all…" Ombric cursed under his breath. He let down his weapon and hung his head.
How was he going to explain this to Mother Nature?
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It was a calm spring afternoon, just as it always was in the Warren. The wind blew softly through the cherry blossoms, and the bees and butterflies flew from flower to flower, without a care in the world, and the birds' sang sweetly, with no other reason to do so, except "just because".
It was Aster's off-season- his eggs had long since been delivered a few months ago, and his home was in tip top shape; just as he liked it. There was no need to rush anywhere, and no need to worry over anything. The thought of working- even if it were just to paint something- was absolutely out of the question and always made him nearly groan in disdain.
No, Aster was content with how things currently were. Days like these, all he needed and wished to do was to lay under a Cherry Tree and rest. He could listen to the sounds of his home and his own breathing, while the constant warm breeze blew through his fur.
Days like these were peaceful…
But they never lasted.
"Bunny. Don't move." The voice of the one person Aster really didn't want to hear right now, rang through his ears.
Almost instantly, Aster peaked an eye open to look at the pale, forever teen who stood over him. He was about to glare when he noticed Jack's determined stare and raised staff.
"Jack? What are you-"
Whack!
A shot of pain landed in the middle of Aster's forehead, and after a yelp of surprised anguish he immediately curled over on his side and cradled his head.
"Ah! It got away!" he heard Jack curse in an almost terrified manner as the boy flew up. With one paw still massaging his aching forehead, Aster sat up to glare angrily at his unwanted guest.
"What in the blazes do you think you were doin' Jack?! That bloody hurt!"
"There was big spider on your head! It was all furry and looked like Evil was put into a tiny, eight-legged body." Jack retorted indignantly. He then crossed his arms and turned away slightly, as if to pout. "You should be thanking me for saving your life."
"Saving my… Jack! You drongo! All spiders found in my Warren are harmless! They eat the pests that hurt my plants! Don't go about whackin' 'em when you feel like it!"
"Well how was I supposed to know that?! Put some signs up to warn people! 'Warning: Giant, Evil spiders are friendly; Don't kill on sight.' Is that too much to ask for?"
Dang, that was a headache coming on, wasn't it? Aster didn't have the patience for Jack right now. All he wanted was a peaceful afternoon with his egg sentinels. Not a day spent babysitting the winter imp as he flew about, causing havoc in Aster's Warren.
Taking in a deep breath, Aster massages the bridge of his nose, and then did the same to the sides of his head. It didn't help much; the headache was getting worse.
"Jack, why are you here?" he asked, in an attempt to keep things simple. With luck, he could kick the boy out before things got destroyed. (His poor head, excluded.)
"I just wanted to hang out with someone. North is 'Busy, busy. No time for play', Tooth can never really hang out without losing sight of the conversation, and I can never find Sandy. You're the only one left."
Aster was about to ask about the other possible Guardians, before he realized that Jack had never actually met them yet. Ombric, Mother Nature, Katherine, Nightlight… They'd never introduced him to them.
Sighing, Aster began to think that it would be best to just throw Jack out- screw the fact that he had no one else to go to. But upon seeing his uncertain, begging grin, Aster just couldn't do it.
"Fine! But don't mess anything up! I've finally got everything in tip-top shape, an' I don't want a single sliver of frost on any of it. Understand?" he conceded with a glare. Jack practically lit up.
"Got it Mister Bunnymund, Sir!" he said with a mock salute.
"Don't do that." Was Aster's immediate retort. He then lay back down and closed his eyes.
Surprisingly, Jack did the same- albeit he did so on a branch somewhere in the tree Aster was beneath.
Aster had thought that it wouldn't be possible for Jack to sit still for more than five minutes. But he soundly proved Aster wrong when it took two and a half hours before Jack found himself back beside Aster, with an expectant look.
"What?" Aster said, but less annoyed than he probably should have been.
"I'm bored."
"Then go somewhere else."
"I don't want to."
"Should I care?" There was a momentary silence, and Aster peaked an eye open.
Instead of what he had seen before, Jack was now looking sadly and longingly down at Aster. Said Pooka felt his ear twitch in what he hoped was agitation and not pity.
"Pwease?" Jack asked, begging. He even clasped his hands together in a mock attempt to look like a kicked puppy.
Of course, something about it must have worked, because Aster soon found himself sitting up with a heavy sigh.
Next thing he knew, the two of them were walking about and talking about whatever came to Jack's mind.
It helped that Jack could come up with plenty to say, because most of the time Aster was at a loss for finding good topics.
It also helped that Jack could hold the conversation by himself most of the time. It gave Aster room to just think and observe. Occasionally he would say something to let Jack know that he was in fact listening. But otherwise, he was completely silent.
It was kind of nice. Almost like having…
No. No. It was best if Aster didn't remember that right now.
With a quiet sigh, Aster turned his attention towards Jack.
The boy was talking about the Burgess kids again- the conversation somehow always went back to them- and Jack was completely enthralled in his own story. He was even using over the top hand gestures to get his point across.
Aster couldn't help but smile at how happy Jack seemed to be. It was a small smile, but it was there just the same.
Aster would never admit it out loud, but he often felt like Jack had truly become a part of his family. Not just a member of the Guardian's family, but his. It was a rare thing for Aster to accept someone as his family. So far, he could only truly see Sandy and Ombric as his family. Yes, North, Tooth and the rest were close to him. The greatest friends he could ever hope for- and together, they were a family.
But his family was reserved for only those who could see him for exactly who he was.
North was his closest friend to date, but despite the man being brilliant and insightful, he just didn't have what it took to truly understand Aster.
Tooth, while she had gone through a very similar loss that Aster had, wasn't close enough to him to truly understand him. She was just too hyper and multi-minded to be able to take the time to get to know him well enough.
Aster's family, he decided, was only for those who knew great loss, and who had the ability, and wanted, to understand him.
Somehow, he felt that Jack fit the criteria.
The boy constantly wanted to ask questions, but he also knew the limits without being told. Aster believed that Jack was the type of person who could deduce what a person was like, and what their true fears and strengths were, without having much to go off of. He only asked questions when he wanted to prove his own deductions.
He was very much like North in that way, only he seemed… better at it, somehow. Perhaps it was because, unlike North, Jack knew to keep his thoughts to himself, and to simply observe from afar.
He kept his distance from people, but was still able to figure them out.
It was because of this, Aster didn't feel like he was hiding anything from Jack. He felt like Jack knew him well enough to be his greatest friend, even though in reality, he knew nothing about the Pooka.
Jack felt like family, even though there was practically no evidence to back the feeling up.
Aster, not for the first time, wondered if he should just tell Jack about his past and get it over with. He had told Ombric and Sandy everything, and he had already given the others a simple summary, but for some reason he hadn't told Jack yet.
It wasn't that he didn't want to- He very much wanted Jack to know about his past.
But it was the way he wanted to tell Jack that he couldn't figure out. There was something that he wanted to happen first.
He wanted…
"Hey Bunny? Can I ask you something?"
Aster turned his attention to Jack, expectantly. Jack had gone from talking about the kids to talking about his three hundred years of isolation while Aster had been thinking.
"What is it?" Aster asked when Jack didn't continue. The boy stayed quiet for another moment, before he inhaled deeply. Just when Aster believed he was about to ask his question, Jack spoke.
"Nevermind. It's not important." And then he hovered forward a bit, so he could stand next to the purple dye river.
Aster, bewildered and somewhat annoyed, was about to demand Jack ask him his question, when he suddenly felt his Warren's magic poke at him.
It made him go completely still, and his eyes glazed over as he stared at the ground. His nose twitched in an attempt to smell his surroundings, and his ears turned about in order to hear something.
However, it was neither of these senses, and instead, his magical core, that told him where the disturbance was coming from.
The destination worried him greatly.
"Jack!"
"I said it was nothing!"
"No, Jack. Come with me- Now." The winter sprite turned only in time to see the Pooka racing off towards one of his tunnels that led deeper into the Warren. The fact that his fur was on end, and that he had never allowed Jack to go into these tunnels before, were the boy's only clues that something was very wrong.
Quickly, he raced after the humanoid rabbit and readied himself for trouble.
There you are! Chapter 1! I hope you're enjoying the beginning of this story. I certainly am. ^v^ Review and Follow if you want, and I'll work on getting Chapter 2 done. We're going to be in Jinn's head again, next. Then we'll see North and Ombric.
See you next chapter!
