Okay, this chapter isn't technically finished. However I realised a few weeks ago that I'd gone over a month without updating, and that really wasn't on. Half of it was already written, so all I had to do was fill in the blanks.
Well got most of them, except for the last scene. And since I had enough trouble coming up with conversations I was happy enough with (seriously, why do I write confrontation? I hate writing about the aftermath!), figured I'd quit while I was ahead and leave it for the next chapter.
Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait, and I apologise again for the stupidly long delay!
Tug of War
Jack's first instinct was to go to his lake and have a temper tantrum on its surface. He actually hit the American coastline before he realised that if a certain Pooka was giving chase, Burgess would no doubt be the first spot on his list.
So instead, he turned round, and found himself in Antarctica – the best stomping grounds for when he wanted to cause damage and not worry about possible casualties. The moment he hit icy ground, the staff came to life, crystallising beautiful sculptures of waves and circles. Each only lasted a few seconds, Jack's voice screaming out and calling the wind to his aid, shattering each of his creations as he drowned in the hurricane storm.
It was childish, and pointless. But rampant destruction of essentially nothing had never failed to curb the winter spirit's anger.
For over an hour the weather of the coldest continent was nothing more than apocalyptic, Jack releasing every ounce of the control he'd been exerting the past few months. As the rage began to subside, the ice began to form more imaginative shapes, of bogeymen and cloaked figures. When the sky cleared, Jack collapsed, dropping to the icy tundra and digging gloves into the surface.
Losing control was kind of like eating chocolate on an empty stomach. It felt good at the time but you were paying for it in the hours afterward. He was raw and unfocused in a way he hadn't been since before he'd taken the Guardian oath. His ears were clammy under the hood, and he made to pull it back, only to stop at the last second.
What was he doing? A few words from Pitch and he was ripping apart a continent via glacial tantrum?
But...it wasn't just Pitch. It was Bunny and the children and his face in the mirror. Things he wasn't equipped to deal with – things he wasn't ready to deal with, never had been. And for the better part of 300 years, nobody else had expected him to. Now, through no fault of his own, he'd acquired companions who didn't understand why they were even things he had to.
He sighed and stood, dusting off the loose ice. This problem solving method hadn't really worked as well as he'd hoped – maybe he should be taking a more social approach, talk to someone, anyone who wasn't Bunny.
Unfortunately, that narrowed an already small list. North would have been the best choice, but he was even more family oriented than the Kangaroo. He didn't doubt for a second that the jolly spirit would immediately contact Bunny and keep Jack from leaving until it was sorted – fairly counterproductive. Sandy would definitely be a good listener, he'd proven that much as Christmas, but the dream spirit was almost impossible to track. You could follow his sand trails, but the Sandman covered a lot of children in a night. Which left...?
Half an hour later, the Tooth Fairy felt a chill in her wings, and immediately turned to find the Guardian of Fun landing not six feet from her. Half a dozen fairies immediately swarmed him, but he waved them all away, even Baby Tooth, eyes on their leader.
"Jack?"
The winter spirit gave the Tooth fairy as hesitant wave. "Hi Tooth...can we talk?"
Normally, North spent his days crafting models from ice, relaxing with a little classical music whenever he needed a break. However today, he found himself pacing in front of his desk, sadly free of ice, while an elf stood to attention, coated in white powder and looking more than a little nervous. By the wall, a smaller handful were watching in fascination.
"Dingle, I am a fair boss, am I not?"
The elf gulped and nodded.
I provide food, shelter, stable working conditions, dental. All I ask is that you follow a few rules. And what is the fifth rule?
Bells jingled as the other elves waved their hands. North immediately glared at them, and the hands dropped. Silence restored, he turned back to Dingle.
"That's right. Number five rule, no food near newly painted toys."
Dingle winced.
"So what exactly made you think running through Yeti's with icing sugar for cookies was good idea!"
The elf just looked down, grimacing at the white evidence and then back up again. North was pacing even faster now, fingers wagging.
"I can tolerate much my little friend, but this is a step too far. Oh I shall make an example of you my young friend. Very much an example."
Dingle was shaking, while the other elves broke out the popcorn in anticipation.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, breaking North from his stride.
"Knocking?...who here knocks?"
The door opened, and the Christmas spirit blinked in surprised as six foot of grey rabbit walked in.
"Bunny?"
"G'day mate" Bunny greeted. "You got a minute to lend an ear?"
North took in the Pooka's appearance, looking over the dropped ears and guilty expression, before nodding slowly.
"Of course old friend."
He waved the elves away. "Go, I deal with you later."
The elves groaned in disappointment, but Dingle needed no more encouragement, bolting through Bunny's feet and as far away from the workshop as he could get. North rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Now my friend, take a seat and tell me what is troubling you."
"I mean, I know he probably means well, but shouldn't I get a say in this?" Jack argued. "His opinion isn't the only one that matters here."
Tooth nodded in sympathy. When Jack had arrived, she'd coaxed him down to the lower levels where he could walk on the water without damaging the architecture. The winter spirit had been clearly agitated, and the silent permission to let loose and ice seemed to help relax while she sat on the shore and listened to him rant. Baby Tooth had ignored her requests for privacy and planted herself on her mistress's shoulders for the duration. It had taken him a good several minutes, but Jack was finally winding down. He slumped down on the ice, clutching his staff tightly.
"I just don't know what to do" he finished. "Where am I supposed to go from here?"
Tooth bit her lip and flew towards him. One hand grasped the thick fabric on the cloak and tried to catch Jack's eyes under the hood.
"Jack...what is it you want out of this?"
Jack cocked his head.
"Excuse me?"
Tooth smiled. "You're angry and upset. Pitch is very talented at bringing out the worst in people, and I'm the last person to justify his actions...but I think he might just have forced you to think about things you've been avoiding."
The youngest Guardian didn't appear to be following, and she sighed, sitting down on the ice in front of him. Baby Tooth took the pause as an opportunity to dart towards him, hiding deep in his hood.
"Jack, I can't even begin to understand what it was like for you. Being different, and being alone for so long. But believe me when I say Bunny feels ten times worse than the rest of us combined for it. He wants to make up for his mistakes...he just isn't sure how to go about it. Do you understand?"
Jack stood suddenly and turned away, crossing his arms. "Should have known you'd take his side."
"Bunny, for the last time I am not choosing sides."
The Easter spirit just crossed his arms and continued pacing. "It's not like I'm trying to hurt him! I just stand seeing the kit ashamed of things he should be proud of. What's wrong with wanting him to see that?"
North sighed and leaned back into the chair, rubbing his temples. Bunny groaned, slumping into the chair on the opposite side of the desk. "I know, I know. It was just going so well, and then Pitch had to show up and mess up everything!"
"Do not take this the wrong way old friend, but I am thinking Pitch is not wholly to blame."
Bunny bolted upright. "What-cha sayin!"
"Bunny, surely you realise it's not that simple? Jack is very much is own person, with many an issue that will not go away overnight. What you want, if at possible, will take baby steps. And Jack needs to decide for himself that it's what he wants too."
"But he is a Pooka!" Bunny insisted. "Whether he likes it or not he can't change that fact."
"Yes" North agreed. "So maybe you should apologise for forcing the issue and let him come to that conclusion on his own, no?"
Bunny just stared at him in confusion, and North sighed.
"The two of you are as stubborn as the other. And you're butting heads like Dasher and Dancer lock antlers when it's time to saddle up. One will have to give before the other. Maybe it's time to just be the bigger Pooka?"
"Jack, there are no sides in this. You do understand that right?"
The spirit didn't answer, but Tooth saw his shoulders slump, and could hear Baby Tooth's indignant squeaking echoing from her hiding place.
She flew around again, coaxing his hands from their crossed position and taking them in her own. "This is a new for both of you. I know Bunny might be suffocating, but the Jack Frost I know has never let anyone push him around. "
Jack chuckled, and Tooth took a risk, noting the buckles of the hood had deftly been unclipped (no doubt due to a certain little fairy), and slowly pulled the fabric down. The winter spirit tensed at first, but didn't stop the act. Tooth's hand quickly came up and stroked the side of his face.
"The two of you need to find a balance Jack. Bunny is as hard headed as you, and you need to tell him when you're uncomfortable or the two of you are just going to go round in circles. It took you 300 years to find each other, don't spend the next 300 misunderstanding too."
Jack began to curl in on himself. "I...I don't know how to do this Tooth. What if I mess it up? Why do things have to change?"
Tooth smiled and hugged the winter spirit. "Oh Jack, things change, it's the way the world works. Teeth fall out, children grow up, winter turns to spring - fighting it is pointless. You just need to decide how you're going to face it."
She pulled back. "And trust me, the only way you could mess this up is if you don't talk to Bunny. He'll be a mess right now."
The Pooka didn't answer, instead averting his eyes and focusing on Baby Tooth.
"You don't have to go right now" Tooth soothed. "Why don't you go see Jamie and Sophie? Get yourself together before you go see him."
Ears perked up, and Tooth grinned at the success. "Go on. You can let him show off all the eggs I know you made sure to leave just for him..."
It took all of Bunny's self control and bone headed stubbornness to connect his tunnel to Burgess Lake. He had no idea if Jack would actually be there – as it was even after several weeks in the young Pooka's...the young spirit's company he really didn't know where Jack hung out in his spare time. Least of all where he went when he was mad. But it was all he had to go on.
The lake was abandoned, and Bunny barely had enough time to wonder if he was relieved about that when he heard a familiar giggle coming towards him. Ears pricked up as it was followed by soft footfalls, and turned in time to grab the young Sophie Burgess and swing her up. The giggle became a squeal, and once lowered, buried herself into the fluffy chest fur.
Not too far behind was her brother, crouching by an upturned basket and replacing the eggs that had fallen, shaking his head in mock disapproval.
"You're completely shameless Sophie."
The girl was too busy trying to braid the longer hairs to care about her brother's opinion, and Bunny repositioned the girl so he could hold her with one hand, using the other to give the boy a shaky salute in greeting.
"G'day Jamie. Don't suppose you've seen Frostbite around?"
A risky move perhaps – if Jack had let slip why he was in a foul mood there was no doubt Bunny would be persona-non-Pooka to the children of Burgess. But the Bennet's didn't appear upset in the slightest...so Jack probably hadn't come home yet.
Jamie carefully dropped the last few eggs back in his sister's basket and run up himself, still holding his own filled mostly with Jack's googy's.
"I thought he'd be coming with you" Jamie admitted. "He said he was going to be away for a while to help you with Easter. I haven't seen him in forever."
In all honestly, Bunny doubted Jack had been away from Burgess for more than a few weeks, but to a child, an hour could be forever.
The boy began rifling through his basket, and lifted up one of his eggs. Bunny immediately recognised as Jacks – one of his best.
"I thought he might show up this morning. My garden, and the lake were teeming with these...but I guess he's not supposed to stay and talk when he's hiding them?"
Bunny nodded. "Sorry kid, them's the rules. You catch us off guard, different story, but otherwise we got a job to do."
Jamie grinned, and glanced around. "So...is he still hiding eggs? Did you lose him?"
The Pooka winced.
"No...we sorta had a misunderstanding. He got mad and ran off. Was kinda hoping he'd have come home so we could talk."
The boy frowned. "Well, if he's mad you could try the South Pole."
"...The South Pole?"
Jamie nodded. "Yeah. He told me he likes to go there whenever he's wanting alone time. Whatever that is. I think it's because whenever he tries to blow off steam anywhere else it tends to end up on CNN. And he hates to see weathermen cry."
"Jack makes lots and lots and lots of snow!" Sophie added.
Bunny's ears flattened as he pondered that thought. It made perfect sense that Jack would go straight for somewhere cold and isolated, but the South Pole hadn't even occurred to him. He'd have to kick himself when the kids weren't around for not realising it sooner.
...Then again, if Jack deliberately went there to blow off...the icy equivalent of steam, probably for the best the Pooka hadn't realised it. Bunny had no desire to be an ice sculpture, thank you. Perhaps the best option was to head home and consider his options for approaching the other Pooka – an idea and excuse that was sound more and more appealing by the minute.
He carefully placed Sophie back on the ground and backed away. "Thanks for the advice rug rats. If you see Jack...tell him..."
"Yeah?" Jamie asked, and Bunny sighed.
"Nothing" he finished. "Wouldn't mean anything if he didn't hear it from me. I'd better head back to the warren. Got one major mess to clean up down under. Handful of lost googy's running around that I need to find before they go off, plants need to hibernate, washing up the paint dye – North gets an army of Yeti and Elves but I get to do it all on my lonesome."
He made to tap the ground, when he heard Jamie's voice, quiet and confused?
"Googys...running around?"
Sophie nodded. "Told you so."
Bunny's ears cocked. "Problem?"
"The eggs walk around?" Jamie repeated? "But eggs don't have legs."
The Easter Bunny chuckled. "Well no...not up here. But in me warren they do. Helps me shift them all over the world if they can walk there on their own. Once they hit the surface it's my job to hide them, but they walk most of the way themselves. Course along the way between getting painted or even just going through the tunnels a few get lost. And trust me, you do not want waddling perishables in your home if you value your nose.
The expression on Jamie's face was one of utter delight. By his side, his little sister grinned smugly.
"Told im" Sophie stated matter of factly. "Eggs walk out of flowers then walk through paint flowers and walk through bunny tunnels"
The Pooka chuckled and ruffled the girl's hair. "That's right Pet. You know you're the only kid to ever see it too? That's an honour."
"So...they really do come from flowers? And walk around?"
Bunny glanced back over. Jamie was looking at him with both confusion and awe on his face.
"I kinda thought Sophie was making that part up."
Suddenly, his eyes widened and he grabbed an egg, looking for appendages.
"Wait, does that mean the eggs are alive? Is that where Humpty Dumpty comes from?"
Bunny couldn't help it, he laughed, grabbing Sophie with both hands as he bent over, letting Jamie's worry wash over him.
"Don't worry about it ankle biter" he insisted. "It's just magic – normal rules don't apply."
Jamie looked up, a mischievous grin that wouldn't have looked out of place on his missing winter ally perched on his face.
"Hey Bunny, you said you had to do all that on your own?"
...Oh boy.
Jamie grabbed Sophie's hand and flung them in the air.
"The Bennet's humbly volunteer to help find the last of your googys!"
"Jamie..."
"Oh come on, please!" Jamie pleaded. "Who better to find Easter eggs than kids? We'll behave, promise!"
Bunny bit his lip, and hid the wince as both Bennet's stared him out with pleading eyes. Jack taught them that, he knew it in his bones.
Finally he sighed, and gave a small chuckle as he tapped the ground.
"Oh why not. I was getting used to company anyway."
