Hi everyone, I'm very sorry this chapter is so short. I have had a bad week. I'm still going to do my best to get these chapters out, and tomorrow will be pretty long, so I hope you enjoy still.
There's a little more implied swearing in this chapter, just a heads up.
Tenshi was already gone when everyone worriedly entered the hallway after Jack. They were met with a swirling mass of magic in front of the front door, with Jack sticking his foot inside. It was similar to the portals created from North's snowglobes, but this one was filled with darker colors.
"That's efficient," Jack said. "They won't close if someone's partway through."
"Jack, I know what you're thinking and it's a bad idea." Clover frowned at him. Jack pouted back at her.
"As if you don't go and mess with him at work?"
"I don't bother him while he's actively doing field work!" Clover retorted. "I don't like seeing stuff like that."
"So he's gone to do a reaping, right?" Tooth asked. She looked somber, fiddling with her hands.
"Yep. We can go see what it is reapers do!" Jack put himself partway into the portal, holding his arms out for balance and nearly smacking his staff into the apartment wall. He fought back a grimace; it felt like half of his body was enveloped in thick fluid without being wet. Thick air? It felt awful, but he couldn't leave without convincing the rest to come and see-
"Waugh!"
"Jack?!"
Neither the unique noise from his own mouth, nor the alarmed cries of his friends, helped Jack as he teetered back, being pushed from the other side. He planted his foot on the floor, but just as he regained his balance, he leaned the other way, realizing that someone was grabbing his hand now.
It hadn't occurred to him that he'd be visible on the other side even though he wasn't fully in the portal. He'd thought it was more of a tunnel than a door. Whoops.
He felt Clover and Julius grab onto him, and surprisingly, even Bunny. Well, it wasn't a complete surprise. He knew the Pooka cared about him, but it was touching to know that the unpleasant conversation earlier wasn't enough to stop his protective reflex.
They were doing good, Jack thought, but suddenly there was a harsh yank from beyond the portal, and he all but launched away from his friends. The wood of his staff fell away from his fingers, and he instantly tried to grab it again, quietly panicking when he felt nothing. The "tunnel" of the portal felt a lot shorter, and within a second he felt the nighttime air on his face. The hand had an iron grip on his wrist, and Jack was pulled down to the sidewalk. He heard so much noise: cars, talking, music, and...swearing.
"YOU ABSOLUTE F-ING IDIOT!"
Swearing directed at him.
"Huh..." Jack looked around, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness being punctuated by neon. He yelped as the same iron grip pulled him up by his hood. He met Tenshi's furious glare with as innocent and nervous a smile he could muster.
"Heyy, Tenshi…"
"Are you a complete dumba-"
"LOOK OUT!"
And here he was, being tossed again. He grazed the side of a building and winced as the bricks scraped against his hand. He finally looked at their surroundings. They were in a street between two districts, it seemed. Neon lights and questionable advertisements were flashing just a little ways off, but the other side was quickly darkening with shops closing and people going home. He saw Tenshi closest to him, where it seemed the portal had been. It was gone now, but three deep gashes ran horizontal along the wall that had been behind it. Tenshi was gripping a scythe, looking stressed, no doubt increased by Jack appearing here. Jack followed Tenshi's eyes, and at last he saw what was causing all the trouble here.
It was nearly three stories tall, compared to the buildings around it. It was a spindly, disproportionate mass of limbs and skin. Jack couldn't tell if it was gray or blue in color, but he could clearly see glowing red eyes looking down at Tenshi. He balled his hands into fists, missing his staff more every second.
"Sorry for throwing you, hon!"
Jack jumped; he hadn't realized someone was behind him. He turned around and saw red eyes again, but they were much more normal, even playful. He felt like he'd met this person once before, but his memory couldn't place the chipper voice and shiny, snow-white hair tied up in a messy bun.
"Are you okay?" the stranger (?) asked. Jack nodded slowly.
"Yeah. What the heck is that thing?" he scooted away from where the giant monster was. The white-haired person clutched a sickle in both hands, but smiled sadly at Jack before nodding at the ground. Jack looked down and saw the chain. It was dirty and heavy-looking, travelling from the ankle of the monster to the ground of the alley behind them all.
"That is what happens when angry spirits stay attached to this world."
"What? Attached?"
"No time to explain! Get back!"
He was pulled away yet again, and this time Jack reached for the sill of the nearest window. He hoisted himself up to the next one and climbed to the roof like this, as fast as he could. On the roof, he could see the top of the spirit, and how it towered over Tenshi and the other reaper. He saw the reapers look at each other, exchange a nod, and turn back to the spirit with battle-ready stances.
Jack is still impulsive, adventurous, and getting himself in trouble...
Please let me know what you thought, and give me your speculations about how this is going to go!