Hello dearies! My apologies for taking so very long. Major writer's block + work n personal life are a bitch. I just edited this chapter, please tell me if I have grammatical errors.
"I think that concludes the meeting for this month." North announced to his fellow guardians. "Oh right, Jack, can I talk with you?" North asked. The winter spirit looked a little worried but followed the elder man. Sandy floated off of his seat and over to the remaining guardians.
He got their attention and make a few sand images, consisting of ones that looked like Bunny, Jack, Shiro, and Tooth, ending with a little question mark. " Oh it went great! Jack took me to an amusement park, we actually saw you from the Ferris wheel." Toothiana retold.
Sandy smiled and gave a thumbs up, before truing to Bunny. "My turn?! Ah well, it was nice. Got ditch by Frosbite and Tooth at the movies, but we had a dinner afterwards." Bunny said, his fur a little ruffled. The short golden man raised an eyebrow while a little smirk played on his face.
"You're not gonna tell him about the little goodbye kiss she gave you?" Came Jack's voice from behind. The winter spirit used his staff to pole bolted over the Pooka and landed across from them. Sandy gave a little "9.5" with his sand before looking surprise and at Bunny .
"It wasn't a kiss!" Bunny shouted back. "Yes it was and you know it." Jack stated and Toothiana chucked. "Who is getting kisses?" North asked, walking passed them. "Bunny. Shiro rubbed noses wih him before she left yesterday. " Jack said. "Ah, congrats Bunny! When is date two?"
It was taking all the Easter Bunny's will power not kill his friends. "It was not and I don't know! I'm out of here!" He shouted, tapping his foot and hurried down the hole. "Oh Jack you're so mean to him." Toothiana said, getting up. " He's happy about it and he know's it." Jack stated.
Toothina shook her head and leaned up give Jack a quick peck on the cheek. "I have to get back to work. I'll see you later." She said, and took flight out the window. The winter spirit stared off with a slight goofy look on his face. "What?" He said, turning to see North and Sandy giving him smiles.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." North said, walking away aback to his office. "Right." Jack muttered, levitating onto a chair. Sandy trotted over and made a some images of Jack and Toothiana on a Ferris Wheel. " She told you about that, huh?" Jack asked, the dream maker nodded.
"Yeah. I kinda wish you could of joined us buddy. " Sandy gave a sorta "Yeah..." motion, before adding sand images of Bunny and Shiro having dinner and Vahness and himself with a question mark next to them. "You got a point. What could the two of you do?"
The winter spirit actually went silent, in thought, before letting out a gasp. "I'm actually having lunch with them today. Why don't you join us, perhaps you could get some time with Lady Love." The short man puffed out his cheeks, but agreed to join. "Then lets get going, should be safe now." Jack said and the two flew off.
Landing outside the Hiao Bicau Forest, Jack and Sandy walked/ floated though the jack o lantern lit path. Henry greeted them with a "Neigh" and he trotted over to them. "Hey, guess this means they're here." Jack said, petting the horse. They made their way up to the path, and Jack rang the doorbell.
Footsteps and shuffling could be heard before a slightly disheveled Jackson head appeared. "Jackie! Sup man!" He greeted opening the door to let them in. "And I see you brought V's dream man here, shame she's not in right now but she'll be back soon."
"Yep, I think it's his turn to got on a date. What happen to you, look tired." The Halloween spirit groaned and stepped onto the wooden floor. "Ask me that in five seconds." He said and led the way into the manor. "WHAT HAPPENED HERE?" Jack shouted, Sandy had exclamation and and question marks forming over his head.
Before them, the once well-kept inside of the manor looked like a hurricane crashed through. Glass, wood, and porcine littered the floor that Jack went back to the entryway to get a pair of slippers.
"Now you see why I'm such a mess. We got broken into last night and none of us have slept." Jackson said, picking up a painting from the ground. 'The framed cracked. Damn, this is Dianna's favorite. ' He groaned and carried it under his other arm. Leading the way into the living room was an even grander mess and Dianna and Shiro in the mist.
"This is going to put us back months to a year back. And with my holiday coming up, AHHHH! I have to check on lunch!" Dianna stated, dropping what she had on the table and storming past them. "Oh, hello Jack and Sandy, nice to see you." She quickly said before disappearing.
Jackson watched her go offering Jack and Sandy a seat. " Sorry about all this, it's just a lot to deal with at the moment." He sighed, sinking onto the arm chair. "Is anything missing?" The white hair'ed teen asked, looking around at the wreckage. "Nothing yet."
Shiro walked up setting some cracked painting framed on the table. "The entire manor is a mess. Our rooms, Jackson's library, Dianna's ware house, Vahness and my weaponry room, all of it." She said, not bothering to add the usual honorifics to her friends' names.
Sandy made an image of five random human figures, each standing side by side like in a line up. "No. We don't know who, or what, did this. V is actually working on trying to figure that out, she and her birds have ways of getting information."
"Would you guys like some help? I'm sure the others and I could help out." Jack offered, Sandy nodding. "Thank you, but only with getting the house in order. Everything else we can handle." Jackson stated. "We should go gather around the dinner table, lunch should be ready."
They made their way down the hall to the small dinning room where Dianna had plates, cups, and food set. "We'll let's not stand around, everyone take a seat." She said, taking a seat herself. Everyone took a seat, Sandy figured the chair with a cushion on it was for him.
"I suppose we're not going to be moving to the Americas for the winter this year." Shiro stated. "Well we can't leave that area un-patrolled all winter." Jackson stated, scooping up some rice. "You and V should take these last few weeks to fix up the weaponry room and stay over there."
Jack looked back and forth between the two. "You guys move during winter?" He asked, looking curious. "Only after my holiday to Vahness' holiday. " Dianna explained. "Let's just says it's to make sure certain creatures don't go terrorizing humanity."
"What kind of creatures?" The Keepers looked to each other. "We can't tell you, saying it's name could summon it so it's best not to." Shiro stated. Several more conversations went on, all the while Sandy just watching them as he at. "Aren't you quiet, Lindo."(Cutie) Dianna said, turning her attention from the group.
Looking over, Sandy felt a little bit intimidated by the stare Lady of the Dead was giving him. "Are you liking the food? I wasn't expecting to have an extra guest, so I hope it's to your liking." She said. Sandy swallowed what he was eating and gave two thumbs up.
"So, am I assuming that you are here to see Vahness, I know she can be difficult to track down." Sandy gave a little nod while fidgeting a little with the food on his plate. "Oh right! Guys, we got to get Sandy here a date. Is there any way to make that happen before Ness gets here" Jack asked.
The Keepers perked up, hands on foiled in front; even Yuki and Shiba poked their heads out from around their owners. "You've come to the right table. Now, Sanderson, do you have any plans on what you two will do?" Jackson asked, the other looking over to him.
Sandy shook his head and shrugged. "It's why I brought him here, perhaps together we could come up with something." Jack said. "I mean it's not like he could take her to a movie or amusement park, right?" Dianna nodded. "Indeed. Vahness would need to have special arrangements for a movie."
"And amusement park rides just make her grouchy." Shiro added. A small music note popped over Sandy's head. "Music? Now that's something." Jackson said. The little golden man nodded and added some figures dancing. One pair was ballroom dancing and the other pair was dancing to techno.
"That's perfect! Vahness-chan loves to dance. Though, ballroom dancing is a little too formal for a first date." Shiro stated, adding the last part after thinking it over. "And clubbing is more for a group event." Dianna pointed out. Jackson snapped his fingers, letting out a gasp too, "I've got it!"
Getting up, Jackson walked out and returned a minute later with a large binder. "You could take her, here." He said, handing Sandy a flyer. The short man read it over, a swing and saxophone popping over his head. "Swing and Jazz are the way to this woman's heart."
"But you gotta have the moves too. Think you could handle dancing all night, or till she remembers there's work?" Dianna asked. Sandy gave a little look that practically said "Oh please. " The group gave a little laugh, off in the distance the door open.
"OW! THE HELL DID I STEP ON! OI, ONE OF YOU COME HELP ME OUT, I CAN'T WALK THROUGH THIS MESS!"
"Jackie why don't you take this, that way we can give Sanderson some last second info." Jack nodded and made his way out. "Alright here's some last minute stuff." As the winter spirit left, all eyes turned to the short golden man. "And then there was one." Dianna muttered under her breath.
"Alright Sanderson, tell us, how do you plan on asking V to go with you?" Jackson asked. Sandy made two imaged, one of Vahness and himself, with the one that looked him directly communicating with the other image. "No, no, asking Vahness straight up would frighten her." Dianna countered.
"That's only if she knows it's going to be a date." Shiro put in. "You'll have to change your words a little, so that it doesn't seem like you're asking her out, Sandy-san." She explained. "Get Vahness-chan to say "Yes." before she realizes, and don't let her take it back."
"Also, even with what is going on, she may not want to but get her to take a break. Honestly, it'd be best if she did." Jackson said. "Not cause there wouldn't really be anything for her to help here with, but I think she's more stressed out about this situation than the rest of us."
Nodding at the information, Sandy and the others turned as Jack and Vahness' voices. "You're heavy, did I really have to carry you? Here are more slippers" Jack grunted, entering the room with Vahness on his back. " Slippers are for old women and Jackson. (Jackson:OI! ) Besides this is fun for me." Vahness smirked, ruffling the boy's white hair as she slid off.
"Hey, V, guess who else is here." Jackson snidely said. "Oh hush you buffoon!" She stuck her tongue out and sat down in an empty chair. " This is a surprise to come home too. How are you doing, Sanderson?" Vahness asked, her head slightly turning towards the dream maker. Hesitating to take her hand, which he'd gotten use to, Sandy opted to use his fork to tap out in mores code.
" Alright, Jack asked me if I wanted to tag along with him today." He tapped out. "Did he now. Well anyway it's nice to see you." She smiled. Sandy smiled back before tapping out a " Same here." With his spoon. A moment of silence passed by, in which Dianna set a plate of food in front of Vahness.
"So, V, you dig anything up?" Jackson asked. "I did. Wasn't easy, but Hermes and I managed to weasle out some info. We even got Seraphina to help out." She said, handing Hermes, who poked out from her hair, a bit of bread. The other Keepers, even Sandy, looked at her surprised.
"How did you manage to do that?!" Shiro asked, a soft crunching coming from her lap. "She said it will be as a thank you for us taking care of her dad after, well you know. I'll take a while, but it's better than nothing." Vahness concluded. "Well if anyone can find out, Sera is the one. " Jackson stated.
Jack looked around at all of them. "Who's Seraphina? Is she another member of your group?" He asked. " If only, she would make a good Keeper, but no." Dianna stated. "Seraphina is Kosmotis' daughter. You may have heard of her as Mother Nature." She added. "Pitch is a dad?!" Jack exclaimed.
The Keepers sort of laughed a little at the teen's surprised. "You still have quite alot to learn Jack." Vahness chuckled. "Not everyone was who they are now." She added. " We'll 'scuse me mad'am. It's just Pitch never struck me as a parent, but I guess I can see that." Jack responded.
"Shocked us the first time too, but one look at them and you can see the resemblance." Jackson said. " So V, what exactly did you come up with?" Vahness opened her mouth to speak but paused. " Oh, we can discuss this later. There are guest here, no need to have them worry over us." She said, dismissively waving her hand.
After that, the group continued to eat while engaging in stories and laughter. Once lunch was over, Jackson and Shiro offered to clean up so Dianna could return to the living room. "I'm going to feed my other birds, someone want to carry me out?" Vahness asked, a fox like smile making it's way on her face.
"I have things to attend to!" Jack said, walking into the kitchen and going though a random side door. " Oi Jackie! While you're in there, care to fold our undergarments!" Jackson called, the girls laughing. "Just have Sanderson carry you. I'm sure he'd be happy to." The reaper responded.
"Sanderson?!" Vahness questioned, Sandy looked around as if to find someone else by the same name hiding. "Why not? He managed to whip Kosmotis around, from what he told us, so he should be strong enough to carry you." Jackson pointed out. " Ain't that right, little man?"
Vahness moved her head down, in Sandy's general direction, "Well, um, how do you want to do this. I don't want you make anything awkward or anything." She said. The dream maker took a moment to think. Yes he was strong enough to carry her, but their highs would make it a little odd.
A light bulb formed over Sandy's head, and he slowly formed a small cloud of dream sand underneath her. "What the?!" On instinct, Vahness's wings sprouted from her back in order to stabilize. "Relax Vahness-chan, Sandy-san just made a small sand cloud under you."
Breathing a sigh of relief, the Greek woman retracted her wings and settled down. "I would of appreciated a little warning." Sandy bit his lip, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. Hermes, who was getting angsty, flew out from under his mistress' hair and twittered.
" Don't you talk to me like that! Don't think I couldn't feel all that fluffiness on my shoulder after all that bread you ate." Vahness snapped back. The Dream Maker couldn't help but smile as he watch the two argue back an forth. The pink littler bird gave a twittered "Hmph!" and flew out of the room.
"Wha- Don't you just fly away from me!" Vahness shouted. "Sanderson, would you be so kind and follow that ball of feathers?" Not that she could see it, but Sandy made a salute before moving the cloud and the two left the room. A brief moment of silence, with Dianna cursing from the living room, before the laundry door opened.
"Is she gone?" Jack asked, poking his head out. " I don't know Jackie. She lives here, so is she ever really gone?" The winter teen emerged and stuck his tongue out at the Halloween spirit. "Wise guy." Moving onto the counter, Jack watch as Shiro and Jackson washed the dishes. Yuki, curious to the silence, poked his head out of Shiro's kimono.
"Bunny's gonna get jealous with Yuki hiding in there all the time." Jack said. Shiro looked down at her chest, where her pet was looking out, and chuckled. "I think it's more of the other way around. Yuki refused to come near me yesterday until I showered. " She laughed.
Yuki seamed to sense they were talking about him and dove back down. "Shiro, you think you could finish up here." Jackson asked. "Oh sure. Going to organize your library." The Japanese spirit asked. " What I can before we head back to work. But more importantly, I need to talk with Jack."
Jack bit his lip a little, having Jackson actually say his name made the teen a little uneasy. "Right, I can finish up here." Finish off the plate he was working on, Jackson wiped his gloved hands dry. "Alright, Jackie. Lets walk."
Outside in the back, Sandy followed Vahness down one of the stone paths into her side of the garden. "At least the backyeard wasn't harmed." She said, placing a hand on one of the stone collems to guide her. Sandy tailed behind a little, cativatied by the details in the colloms and fountain in the centre of the little square.
"Sanderson?" Floating over to one of the corners, He landed next to Vahness. The woman was opening a small cage that contained several more birds. Once open, one of the birds, fluttered onto the side, spotted the little gold man, and gluded down onto his shoulder.
Sandy reconized it a Zeus and happy pet the birt on his head. "Of course he found you quickly." Vahness chuckled. Sandy turned to face her and noted the other three birds perched on her shoulder. "These are the rest of my birds. This is Athena." One of the female birds twittered. "Artemis." The bird in the centre fluffed her fethers. "And finaly, hey pay attention!"
Vahness gently poked the last bird, who had been contently cleaning his feathers. "This is Narcissus Be nice and say hello." Narcissus glared a little at the two before returning to tend to his feathers. "He's a vain little thing." Vahness smirked, petting the bird.
"So, Sanderson, what do I really owe this surprise visit?" Vahness asked, taking a seat on a stone bench and patting the side for the Deam Maker to sit. "It's just been a while since we both have been able to speak like this." Sandy tapped out on the bench.
" You got a point. But even if we did see each other around what would we talk about with so little time in between?" Vahness asked. "How about how you've been?" He asked. " I'm alright, but with what happened last night I'm worried about how eveything is going to work out."
Vahness sighed. " Cleaning up the house, plus fixing up the weaponry, is easy enough. But it's going to take months for Dianna and Jackson to organize their work rooms, And with Halloween and Day of the Dead in two weeks. Uh! There far too much to prepare."
The Sandman reached up and gave the redhead's arm a comforting pat. " You need to relax, stressing out isn't good." Sandy tapped out. "I know. But what else can I do? None of Jackson's Death Records have brail, Dianna owns too many things that I don't know what they are, and the weaponry...I guess that speeks for itself." She half-heartedly chuckled. "And colleting information takes time."
" That's more of a reason to take it easy. I've heard you like to dance, is that right?" Sandy tapped out. "So now they're telling you stuff about me behind my back, hm?" Vahness smirked. "But yes I do. I'm not much for this new age dances, but back in 1920's!" She leaned back, a large smile on her face.
"Thoes were the days! The four of us would go out every weekend, that was the best, but then of course the Wars started and work incressed for all of us." She sighed. " Well what if, hypotheticly, I knew of a place, like the four of you use to go to, would you be intrested in going?" He asked.
"I suppose. But I have work round the clock, and I'm sure you too." Vahness responded. "And what if, hyophotecily, we both crossed paths and there was a this dance place close by, would you agree in going?" He continued, choosing his words cautiously.
"This meeting would have to be around twilight. I'm usully out of what ever contry im in by nigh. But yes, I suppose I'd agree." Sandy smiled. "So to be clear. If we 'crossed' paths, say around eight tomorrow night, and there was a Swing and Jazz club around, you'd be interested in going with me?"
Vahness' eyes seemed to grow a little. "Well if it's a Swing and Jazz club. How could I possibly say no." She smiled and stood up. "I always love a good excuse to wear my flapper dress again." She beckoned for Sandy to follow her and Vahness held her hand out for her birds to perch on so as to return then to their cage.
Sandy floated up to seat Zeus back in as well, when something in the cage caught his eyes. Under a small covering in the cage, apparently where the birds had their nest, he could just make out the shaped of four little boxes. The sun shown in, reflecting the light off the objects, and he realized they were the teeth boxes Tooth used.
He remembered that Jackson, Dianna and Shiro, took their teeth with them, and Vahness probly had hers before then. This must be where they were being kept.
"Sanderson. I'm heading back. "Vahness said. Sandy blinked and moved the boxes out of his mind, for the moment, and floated quicky to her side.
"Well the four of us have to get back to cleaning up what we can." Jackson said. The Keepers has escorted Jack and Sandy out of the forset, and were now exchanging goodbyes. " I'll have everyone stop by later this week to help out." Jack replied, placing a hand in his hoodie.
"Rush but no rush, Jackie." Ruffling the teen's hair, much to the winter spirit's displeasure. Next to them Dianna and Shiro were trying to keep their laughter and astonishment from overflowing as they watch the interaction between Vahness and Sandy.
"He actually got her to agree!" Dianna whispered. "Guess he's smoother than we thought, we owe Jackson 10 dollars." Shiro whisphered back. Sandy was writting out what he wanted to say. " So we'll meet up in America tomorrow night, Right? "
" I will be there, yes." Vahness asured. "Great!" Sandy amiled and made a small "X" on her hand. Dianna and Shiro gasped. "Did you just!" Vahness blurted out. "Maybe I did. See you tomorrow." Sandy wrote before he and Jack. The Four, well three of them, waved them off.
"Did you guys just see what he did!" Vahness shouted to her frieds. " Did you?" Dianna smirked. "Ha ha, very funny bitch." On the way back to the house, both women bickered. It wasn't until they were in the entry way of their home that all talking cesed.
"Alright, V, what was it that you couldn't tell us before." Jackson asked. "Right." Vahness began. "Well I stared off talking to the few spirits we are friends with, like the one incharge of Lucia. Nothing. No has any information on what could've done this, they say they'll keep ears open but that is little hope."
"So that's why I went to see Seriphina. After that, I tryed to think of this situation is a different way." Vahness explained. "What kind of way?" Shiro asked. "Yesterday, all three of you describled our rooms, Jackson's library, and Dianna's were house as if someone was looking for something. As opposed to the weaponry and rest of the house."
"We thought of that too already, thus far nothing of ours has been taken." Dianna stated. "Right! Nothing of ours is gone. Think about it." Vahness said. "If they were wanted something specific from someone, why not just go though Dianna's warehouse. If they didn't know which section to look in, going thour Jackson's libray make's sense."
"But, if that was so, then what would going though our rooms acommplish?" Vahness asked before answeing herself. " Who ever was here was look for something that specificly belonged to each of us. And apparently what ever it was, we don't keep in the house."
Shiro and Jackson turned to Dianna. "Our trinkets from our human lives, do you keep them in the house?" The Irishman asked. "No I don't. I carry them with me or have Shiba guard them." The Latin woman explained. "So you think that they were looking for thoese?" Shiro asked.
"More than likely. With that in mind, I stopped by to pay a quick visit to our Jack's girlfriend. Turns out a slight alarm was raised just a few mintues before I got their." Vahness added. "You payed Ana a visit? But we alreay have our teeth with us. " Dianna reminded.
"Yeah but only the Guardians and Us know that. If the same thing that came here was over at Toothiana palace, all it would find are four empty slots." Jackson added. "Five, actually..." Vahness muttered. The three looked to her and the Greek woman took the silence as she had their attention.
Reaching under her dress to the holster she straped to her thigh, for her crossbow, she pulled out another tooth box. "Vahness you didn't" Jackson said, reconizing the picture on the box. "I have as much right to them as anyone." Vahness stated, holding them close.
"Who is that?" Dianna asked, Shiro whisperd the answer in her ear.
"Anyway, Toothiana says she didn't find any other teeth missing when I was there, but she too had just returned from a meeting. I asked if she found anything missing, if she'd keep it between us." Vahness finished.
"Alright, well all this doesn't tell us who/ what is behind this, but it's clear it's an attack of sorts againts us. This matter stays between the four of us, Kosmotis, and Seri. The Guardians don't need to consern themselves with this." Jackson said, the girls nodding in agreement.
"Now, let's get back to fixing up the house." Jackson, Shiro and Dianna all took off their shoes before entering the main house.
"I'm still going to need a piggy back ride. "
"Jack! This is terrible!" Toothiana panic, flittering back and forth. "Hey it'll be alright, Tooth. Tell me what happened?" The wintter spirit asked, placing a comforting hand on the fairy's shoulder. "I returned after the meeting, my fairies were in a frenzy saying they felt a strange presence." She explained.
"Vahness actually arrived a few minutes later, she asked me if anything was a miss, then she and her bird left. I just finished inventory when you got here, some of my teath are missing!" Toothiana exclaimed. Jack's eyes widen. "Remeber the Keepers have their teeth." He told.
"Yes but I have Four new missing boxes! Jack, I'm worried." Giving her a hug, Jack tried to calm Toothiana down. "Have you told North yet?" Toothiana shook her head. "For some reason, Vahness asked if I could keep this quiet and let them know if something happens."
Jack thought for a moment, could this be why Vahness didn't want to say what she'd found out when he and Sandy went over? Making a decision, Jack look Tooth in the eye. "Don't tell the Keepers this. I know they're my friends and doing this could ruin things, but it feels like they're hiding something important."
Toothiana nodded. "Alright, Jack. I just hope this doesn't turn into what happened a few months ago." Giving Tooth a peck on the cheek, Jack brushed a few of her feathers back.
"I promise, I won't let that happen."
Goodnight my lovelies! Adieu~ zzzzzzzzzzzz