Set after the movie. Third part of the Forever arch.
There was a rustle beside him and Jack looked over in time to see Tabe's red cape close around his body as he landed. Even in the chill night, the summer spirit radiated warmth that made Jack uncomfortable.
The awkward silence that followed could have made a frost giant squeak.
"So… how is your foot?" the Persian asked finally.
Jack shrugged, scuffing said foot on the roof tiles that it sat on. "How's your back?"
Tabe rolled his shoulders. "I thought I had them all, but I found another this morning. What is it with you winter spirits and throwing ice dagger things at people? You would think it was your solution to everything."
Jack could not help the laugh. "Sorry."
The summer spirit peered at him through the shadows of his hood. "Why are you here, shepherd boy? I thought for sure you'd be sulking a little longer."
Jack tapped the edge of his staff against the roof tiles, frost racing across it and making the other leap to his feet with a yelp. His cape fluttered out like wings, lifting him off the roof as he glared at Jack. "You did that on purpose."
Jack smirked. "No, I was making a gesture to the kid in the house," he defended innocently.
The frost was forgotten. "Jamie or Sophie?" Jack quirked a look up at the other. With a roll of his eyes, the Persian settled back on the roof, brushing away the frost before he sat down. "What, you think just because I don't protect children in specific that I don't pay attention?" He said something in Farsi that sounded like a curse, but Jack was not sure.
"Jamie. He stopped believing in me."
Tabe gave him a look. "Kids grow up. You weren't this sad when Mickey stopped believing. You certainly didn't start a storm over it. Do you know how angry Bluebird was at me? Little bastard thought it was my fault."
"Who?"
"Never mind." Tabe waved his hand in dismissal. "Why are you sulking over one child?"
Jack sighed, curling his legs up to rest his head upon his knees. "I guess it doesn't matter."
Tabe made an impatient noise, a warm wind signifying his taking to the air again. Desert Wind was Tabe's friend, although the summer spirit had the ability to fly on his own accord (something that Jack didn't have, not that he really needed it). It brought with it the smell of dried grass, wet dust, and cactus blossoms, and left an arid feeling in Jack's throat. The Winter Wind was quick to chase its warmer brother away from Jack.
"Where are you going?" Jack asked.
Tabe wavered in the air, balanced on the invisible force of the wind. His cape fluttered around him, the gold embroidery catching the light from the houses. "I know who is causing that boy misery. I wish to fix it, but I don't have very much influence over the human realm." He looked pointedly at Jack.
Jack smirked. "You're actually asking for my help? Tabe, what did this bird person do to you?"
Tabe made a face, and turned his head sharply so that his hood hid it. "You don't want to meet Blue. He's mean, with teeth."
"Alright, Sparky," Jack pulled the topic back at hand. "Who's messing with Jamie?"
"Bullies."
Jack made a face and Tabe patted him on the shoulder.
"You will help me… eh, dispose of them?" Tabe's smile was all innocent, but even the darkness of his hood could not hide the mischief in his eyes.
Jamie was not entirely sure what exactly happened, or when everything started to get weird. Omar was on him one second, the next he was slipping around on the concrete like it had suddenly turned to ice. Something in his brain told him he should not have found that strange, that he should know who could cause ice to magically appear. Another part of his brain, the one that strangely had the voice of his physics teacher, told him that it had been cold last night and there was still ice everywhere.
Omar slid away, managing to not pull the smaller boy with him as he bowled into his friends. They all went sprawling across the ice, soaking themselves in the half frozen water. They groaned and complained as they regained their balance.
Omar zeroed in on Jamie. With a squeak he would later defend as being completely dignified, the smaller boy turned and fled. He did not have to run far. Omar slipped again, sliding forward a few feet before falling over backwards.
Jamie laughed as the junior boy slid past him, yelling as if he was being tossed around on a rollercoaster.
It did not take long for the rumor to spread that scrawny little Jamie Bennet had stood up to Omar and his gang and had won. The rumor quickly turned into Jamie being smart to know that the track was still icy and had led Omar into a trap. Then in morphed into Jamie having splashed the water on the track the night before so that it would freeze.
In truth, Omar and his gang had retreated, saying something about flying guys in red cloaks and white haired devils. They were bruised and soaked, and never even went near Jamie Bennet again.
Jamie to his credit, tried to remember why the term 'white haired devils' rang a million bells in his head. It felt like a memory from an old dream, distant faces and smells and sounds.
He could never figure out why he kept hearing a laugh in the air that felt so painfully familiar, even when he was alone.
Afterword: First thing's first. When I said I was finished in the last a/n, I was referring to my essay and the chapter, all written up and edited before dinner time. This story does not have a legit plot, which means that it does not have an end. So I can go forever. Or at least until I'm bored.
Second: I lied. Sorry. I thought this was going to be the last one in this arch, but I saw this picture on tumblr of Jack and Jamie and I just had to do something… So yeah. You'll see what I mean later. But there is one more for this arch, but it will be after the 30. Or, you know, maybe it won't. I don't know yet.
Third: Headcannon stuff. Every spirit has an object that is a source of power for them. Jack is obviously the staff. North, his dual swords. Tooth has her wings (which doesn't make sense, but headcannon). Bunny has his boomerangs, and I have no idea what Sandy would have… Anyway. Tabe's source is his scarf. Aegir has a silver cuffs on his arms. They don't have to be objects of use, although they are most of the time.
More headcannon, and more relavent. As a child gets older, they start getting burdened by reality. They start forgetting about childish games and fantasies and start focusing on the real world and their real problems, like bullies. After a while, the memories they had created with spirits takes on an almost dream like quality. Sometimes they can remember things and get some serious déjà vu. Once a child has stopped believing, it's hard for them to start again, because now the simple logic of life blocks out the belief in magic. Certain people, like artists and spiritual people can see spirits long past adolescence and into adulthood.
Is it me, or are these a/n's getting longer?
