Okay, just a heads up there will be a Christian sermon in this, not real big, just a few verses and the mention of the Lord. And to answer anyone's questions, though it should be obvious with this chapter, yes I am a Christian, Baptist to be exact. Though I do have my own view on things, any ways this is neither the time nor the place to be talking of such things PM me if ya do though. Oh and heads up to the cursing that will be said in an unrecognizable manner - Aussie and Early modern English. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer- I do not own rise of the guardians.
Jack is now six Manny said as the screen opened up to the inside of a wooden building. Tons of people were sitting in long benches in five rows on two sides. An old balding man stood in front of them. A cross stood behind him and in his hands he held a leather bound thick book.
Jack and the others could hear him mumble something. "And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." The man had seemed to be reading from the thick book.
"Umm… Jack? What is that man talking about?" Jamie said.
Jack chuckled to himself and paused the memory "he is quoting scripture. The story of the resurrection, if I am not mistaken."
"Yeah but why?" Jamie asked
"It is, er was, Easter Sunday. He is telling the story of Easter. Of the Good shepherd rising to life from death." Jack said
"But what does that have to do with Easter? It has nothing to do with Bunny!" Sophie said
"Ha ha ha, Hey Rabbit, thou want to answer the lasses question?" then realizing what he said "Fie, why dost this pudh* accent return!"
"Hu, look Easter has two stories ta it, one of Christian religion, something about a righteous man of their God dyeing and then being brought back to life, and then there is the story of er…-" Bunny said, and getting stuck in the explanation.
"Pagan Myth" Jack chimed in
"Watch it Frostbite. Then there is the story of me' the Easter Bunny." He said
"Nice save Kangaroo." Jack said as he pressed play.
The paster's voice turned into background noise as the screen focused on a little boy sitting in the back pews, staring at the back of the heads of the two girls in front of him.
"Pst!" the boy said in a loud whisper
"Elizabeth, Rachel, are you not bored of this? We hear this same story every year" he whispered to the two girls. The taller one turned her head around, and her green eyes glared at the boy.
"Jackson we are in church, thee should pay attention to the Lords word's no matter how many time it is repeated." Rachel said.
Jacks father nudged him back into his seat and whispered to him. "Pay attention lad, thou can play with ye friends after."
"Yes pa" young Jack said.
The scene faded out and before anyone could say anything another scene came in. the screen should an open field with families sitting at long tables passing around bowls of various foods and sweets. And the children played around them. All the kids were playing and running around yet they could see three individuals were the most rambunctious of them all.
"Jackson you get back here this instant and give Rachel back her bonnet!" a little brown haired girl with hazel eyes yelled as she chased after Jackson.
"Never! She took my sticky bun!" Jack yelled as he climbed a tall pine tree.
"No fair! You know we can't climb in dresses!" The little girl said.
"Do not be worried Elizabeth, let that monkey climb his tree, he will ruin his Sunday best and then were will he be? In trouble with his ma that is were." Rachel said as she caught up with the two younger children.
"Monkey ha! Could a monkey do this?" Jack said as he went from straddling the branch he was on to gripping it from the back of his legs as he dangled under the branch.
"Yes very much so. Jack you should pay attention in lessons, the mistress had shown us a picture of a monkey in that exact position." Rachel said
(everyone laughed at Jack being told of, though Vell had a look of deep though on his face. He was wondering why the girl Elizabeth seemed so familiar to him.)
'Why dost that Harpy have to tell me off as such,'
("Yes no more Norwegian!" Bunny said "What it was giving me a headache listening ta it." He said to all the strange looks that were given to him. And an icicle was shot to the back of his head, shattering on contact just so that it gave him an actual headache)
Young Jack then stuck his tongue out at the girls.
"Jackson come down before you hurt yourself!" Elizabeth said.
Just as she finished saying that, a snapping sound came from the branch Jack was on. He turned to see that the branch was about to break from the trunk. Jack released his hold in fright. (all but Jack gasped in fear for the falling child) he then managed to turn feet down and landed firmly on the ground. He then bonked his head on the falling branch. Gently rubbing the spot he looked at the girls with a huge grin on his face, see I did not hurt myself the tree hurt me!" the two girls sighed in relief (and the others chuckled at young Jack's antics.)
"Jackson! Come hear lad!" Alrek yelled as he waved for his son to come over to their table. Jack ran to them and hugged them both as he reached them. He also rubbed his mother's now swollen belly.
"What is it pa?" Jackson said gleefully.
Alrek kneeled down to his son's level and looked in his eyes." I have a very important task for thee. You mother is not feeling well and I need to take her home. The baby is giving her trouble. I am asking thee to check the traps for me and bring home any game that is caught. Can you do that for me now boy? You will need to do that right now or else it will get too dark for thee to see."
Jackson had a look of pure Joy on his face. "yes pa of course! I will do that right now!" he said, but just as he was about to run off and check the traps in the forest when his father pulled him back.
"My boy thee cannot go off and check traps without blade." He said, and handed Jackson a small knife sheathed in a leather casing.
"Thank you pa!" he said as he hugged him and ran off into the forest.
(off screen)
"Hey I was wondering, I know where babies come from and all that, but how are they made?" Sophie asked looking at the older teens and guardians. That look of pure horror came on all there faces
"Hey Bunny why don't you handle this, you are a bunny after all." Jack chided. Jamie and the other teenage boys started snickering at that comment, while Pippa, and cupcake waked them all in the head.
"And why don't ya mate, since ya lived through the birth of ya sibling! Ya probably even seen the baby being made." Bunny shot back annoyed at his comment
" oh I know more about that then thee thinks. And Sophie I would wait until you're older to find out about how they are made. Save your brother the worry." Jack said with a smile, both at seeing Jamie's beet red face and with realizing that his accent had disappeared for the moment.
(Back on screen)
Jack had changed out of his Sunday best and grabbed a sack to put the game in there. As he walked through the forest he heard a slight squeaking and found a small rabbit caught in a trap. Jackson had a happy yet questioning look on his face. It then froze.
("Bunny , just to forewarn thee, ye might want to hide thou eyes, yours also Bloom and Sophie." Jack said. Realizing how it was just said, he started banging his head with the palm of his hands
"Why?" Sophie asked, "What are you going to do to the baby bunny?"
"Simple. It was caught in my trap it was fair game." Jack said as he pressed play and unfroze the screen.)
Jackson grabbed the bunny by the feet and snapped the neck quickly. He said afterwards "Thank you Mr. Rabbit, you will be giving your life to strengthen another weakened being." He said to the rabbit corps as he re set the trap and placed the rabbit into the bag. He had done this to other small game for a couple of minutes.
(having to see this repeatedly, the guardians and teens were beginning to get sick, "I warned thee all!" Jack said.
"But Jack why all of those animals?" Pippa asked you were a small family did you need all of that for food?
" yes, what we did not eat fresh we salted or sold to other families that were in need of food. We needed the food and pelts for the cold winters that were ahead." Jack said
"Oh" was all they had said)
Jackson headed to were the larger traps were when he heard something and hid behind the bushes
'oh I hope it is a bear like the one pa brought home that night! I can see the look on pa's face as I drag a giant bear home!'
Then Jack heard something that no animals make, but it was a very distinctive sound
"Are ya frigging kidding me?! Who is the bloody basket case that leaves a trap out on Easter!?" an unmistakable Aussie accent yelled from over the bush.
( Jack looked at Bunny with pure glee in his eyes, and Bunny had Pure horror. "Ya have got ta be kidding me!? You're him?!" Bunny said, er yelled.
"About time you figured it out" Jack said as he leaned back in the couch.
"You knew each other even back then?" Jamie asked.
"Er ya mate we did, kinda."
"Kinda! Bunny thou hurt me! I was thee's first actual believer in the colonies!" Jack said
The group just stared wide eyed at the two. "Just watch you guys." Bunny said.)
Jackson peeked over the bush. 'oh just great some rampallion got into the trap. Now I must free him.'
I as he peeked over though he was surprised at what he saw. I giant creature dangling from its feet as its long ears barely brush the ground.
(everyone except bunny burst out laughing at this scene.
"Stupid hunters trap" Bunny mumbled to himself")
Horror shone on the child's face
'what demon is this!'
"Wh-who art thou?" Jackson said hesitantly as he rose from the bushes and his blade firmly in his grip.
Aster, startled to hear the boy, looked at him "Ya can see me ankle-biter? Good can ya get me down from this bloody trap, the hunter that put it up must be a bloody fuckwit bastard! "
"My pa but up the trap ye knavish idle-headed scut! I may not know what thee said but I know enough that it be an insult"
("JACK! That is no way for a child to talk!" Tooth yelled
"He insulted my Pa! and Bunny had said worse!" Jack said
"That is still no excuse for you! And Bunny I know your language was not the best, but did you have to talk that way in front of a child!" Tooth said
"I was Kinda busy hanging by my feet and trying not ta chuck" Aster said.)
"BOG! Well sorry mate. As ya can see though I ain't an animal that ya can use so mind setting me free?"
"And why should I? Ye ruined the big game trap! I was hoping for a deer or boar to be caught in it!" Jackson said as he squatted down to be at eye level with Bunny
"Hey hey! I can still give ya something, don't worry! But I won't be able ta give it ta ya is I'm hanging by my feet, now am I?" he said looking down, er up, at Jackson.
"And what would that be?" the child asked skeptically
"well ya see, I have these chocolate eggs I'm handing out ta ankle bitters like yerself, and I will give ya a basket full of them if ya get me down from 'ere I promise."
"What's chocolate? Oh is that the brown sweet stuff that ma and pa can never afford?" Jack said.
"Yeah mate that's the stuff. Now can ya cut me down please?"
"Yes of course!" Jackson said eagerly
'I cannot wait to taste chocolate!'
Jackson got up and walked over to a tree next to them and unknotted the rope that was tied to a branch. This released Aster from the tree and he fell, landing on his head.
(Laughter came from everyone, even Bunny. And he rubbed the top of his head remembering the pain)
Jackson then walked over and unknotted to rope around his feet. He then set the trap back up for more game.
"So where is that chocolate?" Jackson asked
"Right here ya ankle bitter, here ya go." Bunny said as he handed a basket of chocolate to the kid. Jackson wasted no time in unwrapping the chocolate and shuving it in his mouth. His face looked like he had just taken a bite of ambrosia.
"I take it that it was good mate?"
"Yes Mr. Giant Rabbit!" the boy said happily
"Kid da ya know who I am?"
Young Jack shook his head and said "nay, not really, but thou cannot be all bad if thou givest out chocolate!"
Confusion was all over Bunny's face "kid, I'm the Easter Bunny"
Young Jack now had confusion on his face. Looking up to Bunny he said "Bunny? What does a bunny have to do with Easter? Easter is the Lord's holiday."
A look of pain was on Bunny's face
(That same look was on present Bunny's too. "Still huts ta hear that"
"Sorry Rabbit, I did not know back then" Jack said
"I do not understand though Jack, if you did not believe in Bunny then how could you see him?" North asked. Everyone else nodded in agreement
"Hey I just noticed something. When Jack speaks with the accent he doesn't call you Kangaroo, Bunny! He calls you Rabbit." Jamie says.
"Shut it…" Jack was about to say when Bunny burst out laughing as well as the others." Jack just pressed play again and hoped they missed some of it.)
"Then how can ya see me mate?"
"What dost thou mean?"
"Only children that believe in me, the Easter Bunny, can see me. You don't believe in me yet ya can see me"
"Well if thee art an Easter then mayhap it be because it be Easter?"
"Na then everyone could see me not just those that believe."
"Mayhap it be because of something ye art at center? Something thee stands for?"
"What ya mean my center, that's hope, and new life."
"I think that be it! I will always believe in hope, and new life will be happening soon. My ma is pregnant!"
"Well that is an interesting idea ya ankle bitter, and glad ta hear about ya not giving up hope. And Congratulations on the new sibling, I think ya will make a great bit brother. Now I think both of us need ta get back ta our jobs, don't ya?
"Ie, thou best right. It was nice meeting ye Mr. Rabbit and I thank thee on the complement." Young Jack said. Jack said as he took the chocolate and the game back and ran towards home.
Bunny sat there and watched until he could no longer see the kid. Shaking his head, he got up and left. He hoped he will see that kid again next year.
The screen faded back.
"Well that was interesting." Tooth said.
"No kidding" Caleb and Claude said
"Let's watch the next one! I want to see Jacks sister!" Sophie said. Everyone else nodded in agreement. Jack smiled and pressed play.
Well for those of you who don't know Early modern English- pudh means horrible.
The Aussie slang and curse words will not be translated. Though if ya want to know what them mean then by all means go look them up!
Though also the Early modern English insults will be the same, no translations.
I hope you all enjoyed this long chapter!