Summary:

This time Jack gets to choose where Jack wants to go, but it has some unexpected consequences.

Enjoy!

Jack woke up later, just as the sun was beginning to sink into the pale clouds. The spirit tumbled off his chair when seeing the weather outside, making Bunny stumble. Luckily, he didn't ruin another egg with the younger's unexpected movement.

"It's this late already?!" Jack breathed, staring around. Sleep still fogged his mind, and he looked like a bear coming out of hibernation. "Damn, I'm late!"

Bunny's ears twitched at the louder exclamation.

"Well, if ya late now, no point in goin'" he said offhandedly, stretching. He looked out of the window.

"No." Jack said, standing up. There was authority in his tone that the Pooka had never heard before, and it caught him off guard. His mouth worked on voicing a reply, but all he came up with was:

"What do ya mean, no?"

"I still gotta do my job!" Jack growled and tugged the chain a few times, frosting it over again. "Come on…"

"Wha' job?!" Bunny asked, tugging the long chain into a more comfortable position. Jack looked up at him slowly, forgetting about his plans of escape.

"Err…winter?" The spirit was staring at him like he had grown an extra head. "Duh."

"Wait – you spread all of winter."

"Yes."

"On ya own."

Jack raised an eyebrow, a small smirk dancing on his lips.

"You have a problem with that?" He asked amusedly. Bunny cleared his throat.

"I thought tha' there were several spirits for each season." The Pooka was fairly – no, entirely – sure that the other seasons had several other spirits that took charge of the season; none of which were very powerful on their own, but as a team they were a nasty opponent. Heck, he had even seen some spring spirits (they were very vain, admiring their own reflections) when he hid his eggs yearly. But then…

Bunny realised he hadn't actually heard of any winter spirits over the last two hundred years at least, and he mentally scolded himself for not realising this sooner. But this raised another question: where did they all go?

Bunny was no judge, but as he thought more deeply about it, Jack did seem unnaturally powerful for a winter spirit, and was more like all of his power was a collection of the entirety of winter.

Jack's expression was hidden by the shadows, but Bunny briefly saw his eyes darken.

"Yeah, well they're gone." He answered shortly, bending down to scoop up his staff. Suddenly (and almost alarmingly) a smile spread on the younger spirit's face.

"Cottontail, you might want to get a coat on or something."

Bunny snapped out of his thoughts, shivering as a large gust of wind tugged at his fur.

"Wha'?" He asked, bewildered. Jack only grinned wider.

"Oh well." The spirit shrugged. "I guess you'll manage."

"No!" The truth hit Bunny like a bolt of lightning. "No way! I ain't flyin'!"

"You don't have a choice!" Jack's sing-song laughter echoed around the room at the Pooka screamed when his feet were suddenly tugged from the ground and out of the window.

"Bloody Hell!" He yelled, clinging onto the chain as they ascended. He turned angrily to the spirit. "Ya could've taken one of my tunnels!"

Jack laughed again, pulling the chain up higher.

"Not where we're going…too cold." The spirit grinned in a slightly demonic way before another gust of wind wrapped itself around the Pooka, making him curse.

"Wha' was tha' for?!" He yelled, snarling. He screwed his eyes up as they jerked alarmingly.

"You do realise how heavy you are, right?" Jack asked. He laughed again, and if Bunny wasn't fearing for his life, he would've thumped him. "I need the wind to help me, obviously…"

The air suddenly got colder, and Bunny risked opening one eye to look around. They seemed to be going across some country fields, and a few sad remains of snow were clinging onto grass blades. Bunny hated to admit it, but he had no clue where they were. Jack seemed to, however, as he scanned their surroundings with some familiarity.

"Almost there, Cottontail." He called.

"Shut up!"

"I admire your manners."

The wind seemed to lessen under the Pooka, and he felt himself descend slowly. Automatically, he opened his eyes, thinking they had landed, but he almost screamed as he saw how high they were – they were above some of the birds. To try and distract himself from the growing nausea in his stomach, he looked upwards, watching Jack.

The spirit (to Bunny's great fear) had his eyes closed, letting the wind guide them. His staff was glowing a brighter blue, and frost spread to his hands and across his sleeves. A few flakes of snow began to drift from the clouds, and when Jack opened his eyes again Bunny saw that they were glowing slightly.

"Get ready!" Jack yelled after a few seconds, a grin resurfacing on his features.

"Wait! For what?" Bunny yelled back over the winds whistles. Before Jack could answer, they suddenly fell from the air, ascending rapidly to the ground. Bunny screamed unashamedly, gripping onto the chain. Jack's laughter didn't help his terror as they fell.

The spirit was laughing joyfully with small tears leaking from his eyes, spreading out his arms as he fell. Just as Bunny closed his eyes for impact, the younger cried out.

"Catch me!" At his words, the wind tousled them to the side, and the Pooka felt the ground brush his back paws as they skimmed the sky. A few moments later, they stumbled to the ground. Jack was still laughing, gasping as he clutched his stomach.

"Yeah yeah…laugh it up, ya wombat." Bunny grumbled, brushing away the snow.

"Come on, Kangaroo – lighten up!" Jack turned to him, his eyes sparkling. Before he could tease him further, however, a chorus of sharper, crueler laughter rang out from behind the trees.

"You brought a friend, Icicle?" A voice jeered. Jack immediately tensed, clutching his staff tighter.

"Aww, that's sweet! Didn't think your heart was warm enough for compassion –"

"– but then again, I wouldn't really see this place as a nice day out!" More cackling laughter followed the comment, and a group of small people walked out of the trees, tossing their long hair. Flowers grew out of the curls in different shapes and sizes, and vines wrapped around their arms. They had some sort of plant-like garments hiding underneath long shawls that were decorated with thorns – some more than others. They wore no shoes, but had long, claw-like toes with sharp, (and in Bunny's opinion) disgusting toenails. Studying them further, he saw that their fingernails were in the same state as their toes. Despite their small height, they looked intimidating and cruel.

"Aww, not pleased Icicle?" One giggled, twisting one lock of hair.

"And you brought a friend, just for us!" Another, that looked like the leader, started up at Bunny, slowly scuttling over with its friends.

"Aww so sweet!"

"So kind!"

"Perfect!"

Jack gritted his teeth, his joyful expression hardening in what Bunny only could describe as hate, and a little fear.

"What are you doing here, spirits?" The younger guardian asked, voice hardened and laced with anger. "It's still winter here."

"Oh no…" the leader pretended to look sad. "I guess we must go…"

"You're rude, Icicle!"

"We outnumber you!"

"Yeah! Outnumber!"

The other spirits echoed madly, beginning to circle them – no, circle Jack. Bunny realised, with a jolt, that they only had eyes for the spirit, barely even acknowledging himself. Jack stood more defensively, eyes flicking to each spirit as they closed in. One of the spirits, spotted the chain attaching them both together. It cried out joyfully, pointing to it.

"Look! They is attached!"

"Aww! Cute!"

The leader's eyes lightened up with interest briefly, walking closer to the chain. It hummed for a few seconds.

"You can't break out if this, can you?" They asked, blinking owlishly at Jack. "Not even you could break it…"

There was a sudden bang and a yell, followed by a shriek of pain. Bunny tore his glare away from the leader and to the scene behind them.

Jack was standing with his staff outstretched, pointing to a spirit that was currently frozen to the floor, the ice quickly breaking the delicate flower petals. Jack himself had a large vine, ridden with thorns, wrapped tightly around his arm; the frozen spirit was holding the other end of the plant.

"You broke our flowers!" One spirit shrieked.

"You attacked me." Jack said through gritted teeth. The leader just laughed, skipping over to the younger guardian again.

"But that wouldn't be the first time now, would it?" They purred, drawing one of its long nails down his face and to his neck. It left a trail of blood, but Jack didn't flinch.

"Oi! Get ya hands off him!" Bunny yelled. The spirits hissed, glaring daggers at him.

"Shh!" They whispered and before he could react, three pinned him onto the tree, wrapping him tightly to the trunk with thick vines. At the motion, Jack stumbled, getting dragged with him. At the sight of Bunny against the tree, Jack gritted his teeth and turned his attention back to the spirits. He wore a loose grin, trying to act more confident then he was; Bunny could see the spirit's eyes darting back and fourth, searching for an exit.

"What do you want then?" Jack swing his staff around his shoulder, twisting on one foot.

"Ahh, straight to the point!"

"You scared, Icicle?"

"Aww, he is!"

"We want this land." The leader said, admiring its nails for a second. "Spring is close, and we want to spread it."

"Spring isn't fur another month, sorry to break it to you." Jack replied. "So you can go now."

"Spring is whenever we make it!" The leader yowled, and cries of agreement rose from the crowd. "And we will take it! Now!"

At their leader's signal, the spirits shot forwards, pulling the vines off their arms and waving them above their heads. Bunny heard Jack curse and he sprang through the air, dodging the whips. However, the chain restricted his movement and the spirit got pulled back to the ground. The spring spirits immediately pounced, shrieking and whipping the younger guardian.

"Get off him!" Bunny yelled, kicking against the tree. Jack let out a pained cry as the vines contacted his skin, leaving small burns. Hissing, the spirit smashed his staff against the ground, forcing all the spring spirits back. In the few seconds of freedom, Jack threw Bunny a sharp shard of ice.

"Cut the vines and we can go!" The spirit yelled, wiping the blood from his lip. Sharp scratches littered his hands and feet, and an angry red rings surrounded the cuts, irritating them.

The spring spirits sprang to their feet and charged again, but Jack was ready and created a barrier of ice between them that stretched a few metres each way. The spirits tried to climb over but Jack whacked them with his staff.

"Hurry!"

"I'm tryin'" Bunny briefly looked up from his work to see the spirits break the ice before clawing at Jack again. Jack yelled and tried to protect himself, but he was outnumbered, and couldn't fly away for distance.

Finally! Bunny thought as the vine snapped. Out of anger, he threw his boomerangs at the spirits closest to him before Jack jumped into the air, the wind carrying them to safety.