And here is the 10th chapter! A huge "MERCI!" to my dear Turrislucidus and her help!
Next one: They go back to Burgess...
And I hope I will have some reviews, soon, very soon... Snif...
ROTG does not belong to me...
Ian and Rachel in Wonderland: The March Pooka
"…And that's why I'm here in my Warren, with you, doing cleaning instead of collecting teeth, or working on repairing Toothiana's palace. It was cool to talk to you, but I'm eager to hear news of North. Just to know if Tooth supported Jack's presence very long, or if she was angry at her fairies… or better, after that icicle!"
They had spent the last two hours picking up the egg parts, replanting some flowers that had been smashed, or pulled out by the Nightmares, and of course looking after Sophie, who was sleeping peacefully under the leaves of a majestic tree.
Tired, Rachel sat down on a stone. Her mind was racing with all the stories, each more extraordinary than the other. Bunny had patiently answered each question that she and Ian had thrown at him. Oh, they had still had a good many others, waiting in a corner of their brains… although for now she was drained of all her energy.
"These chocolate eggs are delicious, but I admit I would not be against a glass of water or a hot chocolate. You had offered us some, a while ago, and now they would boost me! I'm so done in!"
"He-he… you have helped a lot! A tasty cup of chocolate would be an adequate reward. Follow me. We have to get the kids. They must be thirsty." Bunny walked over to Sophie and gently took her in his arms, without waking her.
Ian had long given up the idea of chastising the Pooka. Mainly after listening to his story, he had pledged eternal loyalty to Bunny, and had started to call him 'Doctor Bunnymund'… to the utmost confusion of Bunnymund. Rachel's hysterical laughter made him suspect that Ian was making fun of him in a twisted way, but while observing the mortal, he didn't see a single hint of malice in him. Rather, he was full of pride and adoration. The two humans had promised he would soon discover why they called him 'Doctor', and that it was necessary for him to come to a 'video night' at their house… but that didn't lessen his perplexity.
Some six hundred meters away, they found the children in the middle of thirty something bags and baskets. The clearing in front of the tunnels leading to the different continents was spotless. Not a single fragment of egg littered it. Claude saw them approach and gave a thumb up, shouting: "Mission completed!"
Bunny was visibly very happy with the result. When the kids had found them, one hour ago, picking up the pieces of chocolate on the ground, and they had proposed to help too, Bunny had hastened to accept. The faster the Warren could be put back to normal, the quicker he could begin to prepare next year's Easter so that he could make it the most memorable that ever happened.
Between all the Guardians, he was the only one (except Jack, but that is totally another subject) to have a very small number of believers, and that for some more months… Tooth and Sandy had already gone back to work, and the number of believers for them had reached their usual 'statistics', as North enjoyed calling them, and North himself would have his holiday in less than nine months. The fiasco caused by Pitch must be forgotten! Easter had to regain its place of favorite in the children's hearts, despite what North says about Christmas taking precedence over all the other holidays…
"Good going! You're perfect out-siders! We were going to have a snack… Who is in?" Monty and Jamie, who were lying on the ground, straightened like a single man and screamed "NOOOOOOOO!" Cupcake and Pippa, who were talking to Caleb, who was perched on one the stone eggs which had followed them around, pulled a face.
"I'm sorry, but I think I can't swallow anything else… Claude judged it would be funny to play a good game a few minutes ago: 'The one who gulped the most chocolate possible in one hundred seconds'. Monty won. And I have eaten too much, and too fast… My tummy is beginning to hurt." The uneasy smile Pippa gave them showed that she was in no shape to eat again, either.
Ian seemed mildly amused: "And that is what happens when someone plays the gluttony card! Chocolate must be tasted, not engulfed! Come drink something, your stomach aches will end better with water." He then turned to Bunny: "I hope your home is not too far, 'cause seeing my son's face, he won't be able to walk for long."
Bunny lightly taped his shoulder and breathed in his ear: "We have to walk like, every bit of ten minutes, but it's primo! They'll go for a walk and it will help them digest. They will stop playing Drongos. Hin-hin…"
Rachel helped the girls to their feet. Caleb slid down from his roost and landed near Ian's feet. He turned around and declared, with a huge smile, to Bunnymund: "If you need help once more to 'clean some chocolate', give me call! That's my favorite drudgery so far!"
"Not happening mate. That is the first and last time any egg gets trampled on! However, we'll eventually see if you'll be up to paint my goggies…"
"Could I come too?" asked Ian rather shyly. "Oy, for sure! No way the ankle-biters come here on their own… With you around to look after them, it'll be OK…"
While talking, Bunny was leading the mortals to his house. Well, his 'house' was a big word… it was more or less a warehouse. He had amassed, over the centuries, many memories, multiple inventions, and all his equipment to make chocolate, and nurture the Warren…
Jamie caught up and walked beside him. "Bunny, how is Jack?" The rabbit scrutinized him from the corner of his eye. Jamie looked like a puppy begging for a bowl of food. The only thing missing was the characteristic whines and the eager barks. He even had his head slightly bent, like a real dog. Speaking of a dog…
"Last time I saw him, a few hours ago, Jack was good. Right now, he's maybe a little less glad to rebuild Tooth's palace… His fan club was quite excited around him… Mmm, Ian? You should think about retrieving your dog. I have no desire to see her stay there." Ian nodded and headed toward the place where Abby rested peacefully (it was nap time for her).
The children, all of them, were looking at Bunny with round eyes. "A fan club? Jack has a fan club?" exclaimed Cupcake. "Tooth PALACE?" wondered Monty. "How come the palace needs rebuilding?"? asked Jamie.
Rachel tried to pacify them. "Slowly young ones! Bunny talked all this afternoon. Let his vocal chords rest a little bit. We will tell you in a few minutes… Just don't worry. The Guardians are safe and sound."
The children did try to protest and have answers a.s.a.p, but Rachel and Bunny refused to utter one more word. Ian met them on the double with Abby, just before they arrived at the only buildings existing in the Warren.
Abby didn't look like she had forgotten her plan to munch some rabbit for her tea time. As soon as she saw Bunny, she started to rumble like a mad dog and to pull on her leash. Ian didn't expect it, and the rope slipped from his hands. Bunny shrieked, (to the delight of the children, who chortled), set Sophie down on a foam patch, and started to run to escape the dog's fangs.
It was at this time that Pippa realized Rachel was acting suspiciously: She had walked away a few footsteps, and she was holding something in her hands at the level of her eyes. "You're taking photos!" she exclaimed. The only answer from the grownup was a wink and a smirk.
Pippa approached Jamie and breathed in his ear: "Your mother is taking photos of these shenanigans! Bunny mustn't know about it, otherwise he will be in the mood to seize the camera so that we can't develop the photos!" Jamie turned to his mother, wide eyed, and proceeded to laugh as loudly as Pippa.
Meanwhile, Abby was more upset by the minute. Bunny was too fast for her, although she would never think about losing a prey so quickly, and without a fight! Ian was struggling to catch the rope again, which was flying away from his grasp with each move his dog made. Monty and Caleb decided to go help Jamie's father, without much more success. Pippa didn't really see how they could soothe the raging Abby… and, well, also a Bunnymund on the edge of a heart attack.
Out of the blue, a flash surprised everyone, and more precisely, the dog, who stopped short and shook her head to regain her equilibrium. Mr Bennett grabbed that opportunity to reach for the rope and catch Abby by her collar.
"This one is pure golden! I will give a copy to each one of you. You were all doing funny faces!" Rachel was waving her camera with a devilish smile. "You will of course, have the privilege of a complete photo album just for you, Bunny. I'm sure it's the first time you will have pictures of the Warren…"
Bunny had stopped, worn out, and was fixing with a mix of stupor and anger his speech. "You couldn't dazzle her sooner? She was going to bite me! And… Wait! You have taken pictures of my abode?"
"Of course I have taken photos, silly! I didn't take my time to get the camera before I jumped in the magic portal for nothing! It's an important day in the life of these children, my husband, and me. And about dazzling Abby sooner… well, in fact it was a mishap… I didn't even think about doing it!"
"Darling, you will always impress me! You and your practical mind… Even if it's a fruit of the hazard the flash set off, you have helped us a great deal… Abby, down! You should be ashamed to act that way! Bunny is a friend – not an appetizer! No marrowbones for a whole week." Abby whined under the threat. Between Ian and Abby, there had always been a perfect understanding. It was extremely rare for her good master to be upset with her.
"Bah, she was acting on instinct. I doubt she will do it again too soon, seeing her face…" remarked Monty. He was petting her on her flank, with Claude.
Jamie kneeled before her, and looked into her eyes. "Abby, you mustn't try to harm Bunny. He is a friend." He then turned to the Pooka. "Bunny, come nearer. She must accustom herself to your scent. Nearer, a little more. Yes, like that, that's perfect!"
Bunny had come, reluctantly, pushed by Caleb and Pippa. Jamie took hold of his paw, and with it, approached Abby's snout. Abby was wrinkling her eyes. At the first rumble, Monty gave her a gentle tap on her flank. "Quiet Abby!" The dog ceased her growl and let her young master press the paw of the giant bunny on her muzzle. Bunny yelped and had the urge to run. Abby exhaled through her nostrils and then averted her head.
She wasn't "friend" with the giant prey, but she was okay with making a small attempt in tolerating his presence, since her family valued him this much.
After retrieving Sophie, who was still sleeping, despite the shouts, Bunny dragged along the band to a kind of terrace, with two chairs and a table. The grass was as wild as in the other parts of the Warren, except that only some patches seemed flattened. The mortals understood quickly the how and the why. In these places the stone eggs acted like guards.
Claude and Caleb literally jumped on the occasion. Cupcake and Pippa settled down on a flat rock next to the chairs. Monty sat there, too. Ian and Rachel choose the chairs, as requested by Bunny's posterior leg, his arms occupied with a happily snoring ankle-biter.
When Bunny wanted to lay Sophie on the grass near her brother, he realized she was forcefully clutching his fur, and didn't want to let go.
"Mmm… Jamie, I will need your help. There's a well behind the warehouse. Bring us a pitcher full of water. Rachel, come with me to grab the glasses… I haven't had visitors for a long time, but I have some glasses and cups that are hanging around here somewhere…"
When they entered the building, the children assaulted Ian with questions. He answered as best as he could.
The water Jamie brought back was welcomed with sighs of relief, and the containers with joyful screams. Sophie woke up at this instant, but wished to stay where she was. Bunny conceded to her plea, and sat her on his knees, as he sat cross-legged on the ground.
Cupcake smiled at him, and gave him a cup of water. "So, tell us why the palace of the Tooth Fairy needs repairs!"
When he saw the children were all ears, and the two adults smirking in their glasses, Bunny took a breath and did as asked: "Listen well kiddos, and I mean listen well! I have already played the storyteller one time for these two, so don't think I will do it a third time! Well, this is how it began…"