Ya girl is another year older! My birthday is today, and...I'm sitting alone in my room writing fanfic. At least I have ice cream! And I really loved writing this chapter. I hope you like reading it!

Jack was pouting once again. It was more exaggerated and comical this time, and Bunny seemed to relish in trying to cajole him into talking about the "phase" Julius had brought up. Julius himself was trying to hide his mirth, and Jack was glaring at him for daring to say anything more.

Before he had a chance to round on either of his friends, North called them all to attention.

"Our meeting tour continues today!" he said, his voice booming joyously. "We are going to visit with a familiar spirit to some of us, the dear Love Spirit Cupid."

"I can't believe there's a new one," Toothiana said. "It's been so long…" Jack knew she was referring to how many centuries she'd kept to herself, only doing her job through her fairies. There were definitely a lot more spirits that she didn't know.

"Cupid always appreciates company," North continued. "You will all love her!"

"If North loves 'er this much, you know she's a cuddly type," Bunny said snidely. "Cuddly and violent."

"Aren't those the two best traits, cottontail?" Jack brushed his hand over Bunny's fur. The pooka scowled and shoved him away.

"Um, what is it, Sandy?" North looked down at Sandy, who was waving his arms and shifting golden flecks all over the place. The little man pointed to an approaching yeti.

"Philip?"

Phil gave a gruff explanation of whatever situation was afoot, gesturing to two more yetis escorting two particular spirits toward the globe room. North's eyes narrowed slightly.

"We have guests, ah?"

"Tight security you got here, Mr. Claus," Clover waved at the group. She was laughably small compared to the yetis who walked behind her. Her cheerful expression was the complete opposite of Tenshi's. He walked beside her with a tired look of disgust and resignation.

"The heck are you two doin' here?" Bunny folded his arms, glaring mostly at Tenshi. The reaper glared right back.

"We're here-ahem, we're here-" Clover nudged Tenshi in the stomach, making him grunt and look properly at the group. "-to apologize for the other day. More specifically…" she fixed Tenshi with a waiting glance. Tenshi sighed and bowed his head.

"I'm sorry about how I acted, Frost. I shouldn't have been that harsh. Even if you were being a total idiot…" That last, whispered line earned him another elbow to the stomach. "S-sorry."

"...Yeah." Jack twisted his mouth in an unreadable expression. Julius pushed him forward slightly. Jack sighed quietly and bowed his head as well.

"Sorry for causing trouble while you were working."

"Okay, great!" Clover cheered. "No we can move on from that."

Jack looked at Tenshi. The reaper averted his eyes. How did they even know about the meeting? Did Julius message Clover? Did she message him? Were they in cahoots trying to make nice all around? There was an awkward silence beginning to fill up the room, but North clapped his hands and laughed.

"Move on, indeed!" he said. "We will go to Cupid's abode and meet with her there. She often knows all there is to know about goings-on in the realm of spirits. We can learn from her AND enjoy company!"

"Well, I don't see why we need to spend any more time around here. We should get moving!" Julius added. Clover raised her hand.

"If we're going around Europe anyway, can we stop by someone else's place, too?''

"Who would that be?" North asked. Clover pulled a small bag of gummies out of her jacket pocket and popped a few of them into her mouth.

"The Keeper of Halloween. He lives out in the forest and stuff of Eastern Europe."

Again, silence. It was more tense than awkward now. Thankfully, Clover sensed it.

"Oh, he's not bad or anything. He's just shy. That's probably why you've never met him." When the silence continued, she added: "I mean, Halloween is a fun time for kids. He couldn't hurt a fly."

"Well, another stop on our list for today." North brushed his hands together. "Is everyone ready, I will prepare the sleigh!"

"Aw, no," Bunny shook his head. "We're not doin' this again."

"I can easily make a portal." Tenshi added. "We don't need to...go through the trouble." His expression was as serious as ever.

"Do not worry! Sleigh is a wonderful ride!" North cheered. "Ready the sleigh!" he called to some yetis. The grunted a reply and hurried off. Jack and Julius smiled at each other.

"Alright, away we go!" North waved his hands to usher everyone toward the hall. They walked, flew, and floated quickly through the workshop. Clover gazed around with wide eyes, nearly bumping into Tenshi several times. Tenshi himself was stoic, though he was beginning to look a bit pale.

By the time they reached the sleigh runway, the reindeer were snorting, stomping, and chomping at their bits. Clover and Julius shuffled away from the mighty creatures, eyeing them cautiously. The yetis finished checking the reindeer hooves and straps, and North jumped into the driver's seat. He grasped the reigns and grinned at his companions.

"Everyone in! Fasten seatbelts!"

"Stop sayin' that when there ain't no bloody seatbelts!" Bunny shouted. His voice was beginning to crack. Jack pushed him into the front seat of the sleigh and laughed as the pooka groaned at the agitated reindeer. Toothiana and Sandy squeezed in next to him.

Julius got in next to Jack, and Clover got in next to him. She pulled on Tenshi's arm. He was looking even paler, and sweat was beginning to form on his forehead. Jack couldn't fight the grin down from his face.

"Tenshi, are you...scared?" he asked, leaning over Clover and peering up at the reaper. Clover chuckled and loosened her grip on Tenshi, which was enough for him to push Jack's head back. "Ow!"

"Shut up." Tenshi snarled. He frowned at the wooden bench and slowly sat down.

No sooner than his legs had hit the bench, did the sleigh take off with the sound of North's raucous laughter. Bunny gave a despairing cry as they sped through the icy underground caverns. Tooth and Clover were between screaming and laughing, while Julius and Jack cheered and shouted at the top of their lungs. Jack had only ever snuck onto roller coasters, but this was the closest thing to having one that really accommodated him.

The cavern ended and they were airborne, their heads still spinning from the loop-de-loops of the tunnel. Everyone was grinning at the wind in their face and the stinging fresh air - well, almost everyone.

"C-crikey…" Bunny was taking slow, deep breaths as best he could. He gripped the side of the sleigh and seemed to be shuddering. Tooth gingerly pat his shoulder.

"You alright, bro?"

Clover's voice made nearly everyone glance over to Tenshi. The super-serious, often-angry reaper...was leaning over the side of the sleigh with his hand over his mouth. They could barely hear his moan of distress, but it was clear he was motion sick. He almost heaved as the sleigh hit a turbulent spot, and as he sank from a sitting to almost kneeling, Jack felt a little bad.

"Fret not, young Tenshi, we'll be arriving quickly," North said, ever jovial. He pulled out a snow globe from his pocket.

"I have been getting good use of these! Now, I say...the February Gardens."

North tossed the portal, and a familiar swirl of colorful light appeared in front of them.

The other side of the portal was completely opposite from the clear wintry scene of the North Pole and neighboring oceans. Where they were now, the blue sky was dappled with fluffy white clouds. A beautiful scent was growing the closer they got to their destination.

An ornate building was appearing from the clouds. It was a chateau of pale pink brick and gently sloping lilac roof. The edges of the structure and were cream-colored brick, and its many windows were framed with white. It was like something from a fairy tale. The source of the pleasant smell came into view as they began to land; flowers lined every visible walkway, bloomed along every trellis, and coiled around every column. As the reindeer cantered to a stop and the natural sounds of the greeted them, everyone could hear birdsong and a murmuring fountain in the distance.

"Watch your step," North advised Clover and Tenshi as they shakily stepped out of the sleigh. Tenshi was considerably more unsteady, but he began to relax as he breathed in the gentle perfume of the flora surrounding them.

"This...is so beautiful," Toothiana said. A soft blush was beginning to tint her face. "Everything's gorgeous. It's like the whole place wants to hug you."

"It's been a while," Jack said. He smiled and breathed deeply. "I didn't remember the flowers being this heavy."

"Last time I was here, Cupid said she would grow them out," North sighed. "She wanted a slightly overgrown look for summer and fall."

Sandy yawned silently. His eyes were already drooping, not from his own atmosphere but the calming one enveloping them all here.

"Well, where d' we go from here?" Bunny asked, his tone going a little soft. "Is this sheila even home?"

"She is usually around for tea-"

North's reply was cut off by the whistling sound of an arrow, speeding through the air and headed directly for him.

Woooohhh, suspense! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I really loved writing the descriptions. This chateau is, like, my dream home if I had a bunch of people to live with. If it was just me and a small family plus some pets, I'd settle for a cottage.