Author's Note: Hello, hello, everyone! =D Hope ya'll are having a fine evening, day, or night, or whatever time it is where you live. X) This is a two-shot that has quite a couple of book references in it (I just love referencing books and such in my stories if you couldn't tell already, haha X)), so some things might not make sense if you haven't read the Guardians of Childhood books yet (highly recommend them if you haven't read 'em already =)).
Anyway, this two-shot should still be enjoyable. X) I hope you guys enjoy this first part of "The Golden Age" featuring the awesome duo E. Aster Bunnymund and Jack Frost. =)
The Golden Age: E. Aster Bunnymund
Jack had heard about the remarkable tales about the Golden Age. The winter spirit often wished that he was around during the time. While Jack didn't pick up everything about it, he did know the most popular stories, like how Tsar Lunar was the only child of Tsar and Tsarina Lunanoff. The frequent travel throughout the cosmos. Buildings and towns that sparkled like gold, and the beautiful constellations brighter than the Moon itself.
The Guardian of Fun tried to learn as much as he could about the Golden Age, so he buried himself into any books that he could find about it. North was the one who had discovered Jack's sudden interest in the Golden Age, so he provided the Spirit of Winter with any information that he knew and gave him as many books that he had on the long-ago time period. Jack had wondered if there was anyone they knew—other than Emily Jane and the Man in the Moon, who were still, well, alive since the Golden Age had ended.
North surprised Jack with his answer. Apparently, Bunnymund and Sandy had grown up during the Golden Age, and the winter spirit hadn't known until then! A new wave of interest washed over Jack. Now he could ask Bunny or Sandy about what it was like during the Golden Age and have all of his questions answered!
But there was still the feeling of nervousness that irked Jack whenever he thought about asking Bunny and Sandy about their old lives. Such information was rather private and personal, and Jack didn't want to seem invasive. Especially with Bunny, who had suffered quite a lot after the destruction of his clan. The two probably missed their old lives in the Golden Age, and Jack didn't want to make them feel somber.
Still, Jack mustered up all of the courage that he could and flew for Australia, where Bunny's Warren was located. The winter spirit sailed over the sparkling ocean, taking bliss in the Wind brushing against his skin and whooshing through his hair. The feeling of flight was something that Jack would never tire of; it was a part of him, and it was something that he couldn't live without.
Jack soon arrived at the burrow entrance that led into the Warren; it was hidden deep in a thick forest that Jack was sure Bunny grew himself. The Pooka was an expert in plants, and he could practically wave his paws and conjure anyone that he liked. Jack trekked his way through the woods, avoiding the several, thick roots that jutted from the ground and thorn bushes that littered the area. Not many ventured out so far in the woods since there were so many dangers, but Jack lightly navigated his way through the forest, found the entrance to the Warren, and dived into it with the Wind propelling him through the long tunnel. Jack's laughter echoed as he slid down the tunnel, bringing with him several snowflakes and a friendly chill into the air.
The winter spirit landed nimbly as always on his pale, winter feet, touching the soft, grassy ground below. A patch of frost stretched from where Jack stood, and he looked around the Warren, relishing in its spring oasis. It had been a while since Jack had stopped by Bunny's underground haven, so he walked slowly through the spring area, taking in every sight of the beautiful realm. There were streams—real water streams—that bubbled down small hills. And the iconic paint and dye rivers were not too far away, several eggs diving into them like professional divers. The egg sentinels lumbered around, allowing Jack to pass through knowing that he was a friend and not a foe, and they acknowledged him with small bows. Jack nodded back with a smile, and he continued his way through the Warren, keeping his sapphire blue eyes peeled for Bunnymund.
The Pooka wasn't anywhere in sight, and Jack wondered if he was inside of his cottage, which sat much deeper in the Warren and was close to the chocolate room. Jack doubted that, however; he had seen eggs painting themselves in the dye rivers, and they only did that when Bunny told them to. He was around there somewhere; Jack only needed to locate him.
Hoping that Bunny wasn't deeply engrossed in his work that he would scare him with his sudden yell, Jack tucked his staff in his arm and cupped his hands around his mouth and called, "Bunny? Bunnyyyyy? Are you here?"
"I'm over here, mate," came Bunny's Australian accented voice, not too far away from where Jack was standing. The winter spirit followed the direction in which the voice had come from, and Jack soon found himself standing next to Bunny, who was crouched over a patch of dirt that had small mounds that Jack guessed were on top of seeds. Bunny dropped another seed inside of the hole he was bent over, and he brushed an even amount of dirt over the seed. The Pooka dusted the dirt off of his paws.
"What are you doing?" asked Jack. Simple question, he knew, but he had never seen Bunny actually plant anything, even though he knew that he was an expert in botany and plants. Bunny chuckled lightly.
"I'm plantin' seeds, Frostbite," the Pooka responded flippantly.
Jack crouched beside Bunny, staff placed beside him. "Oh. Well, do you want some help?"
Bunny seemed momentarily surprised that Jack had offered his assistance, but it soon faded away and was replaced with an aimable smile. Bunny nodded. "Sure. Do ya know how ta plant seeds?"
Jack shrugged. "I think so. It looks pretty simple." He watched as Bunny pulled out another bag of seeds and handed it to him. Jack gingerly took the bag and instantly recognized the flower that was scratched onto the bag with black paint.
"These are dahlia seeds, right?" said Jack, but he was sure that he was correct. Bunny's ears twitched and he nodded.
"Didn't think ya knew yer flowers," Bunny remarked. He smirked lightly. "How did ya know?"
Jack brushed his fingers over the bag of flower seeds, eyes distant and somewhat forlorn. "I studied many different plants back when I was alone," he murmured. "I needed something to do during my 300 years of solitude…"
Jack was somber for a moment, and Bunny was too. His ears flopped against his head as he was once again reminded of how long Jack had been left on his own. How long he had no one there to care for him or be there for him when he was upset. The Pooka internally sighed, asking himself why he and the others hadn't taken notice of Jack sooner. He was practically a child, and it was the Guardians' job to protect them.
Looks like we didn't do a very good job at that, eh? thought Bunny. Jack cleared his throat, pulling Bunny out of his pensive thoughts.
"A-Anyway," said Jack, quickly changing the subject from his 300 years alone back to the seed planting. "I haven't done this in a while, so I wouldn't mind a refresher."
Bunny took the pouch of seeds out of Jack's hands, and he took out two. He handed one to Jack before taking one of his own. The winter spirit cradled the seeds in his palm as if it was a delicate little thing, which it was considering its size. Jack also seemed to be restraining his ice magic so that he wouldn't accidentally freeze the seed over. The gentleness Jack showed over the small seed made Bunny smile, and a brief memory of him and his younger brother flickered through his mind. Bunny quickly pushed the memory away, leaving him feeling rather sober.
Bunny shook his head, and he proceeded to show Jack how to properly plant a seed. It seemed like a simple task at first, but Bunny had a specific way that he liked to plant his seeds. As the Guardian of Hope and the Easter Bunny, Bunny was deeply connected to the earth and plants, so he handled his seeds and plant life as if they were living beings like him.
"First, obviously, ya need ta make a hole," instructed Bunny. Jack watched Bunny as if he was watching an intriguing film play out. His eyes were glued to the Pooka as he used his paws to dig into the dirt, pushing the extra aside and creating a neat, sizable enough hole for the seed. "Ya don't want ta make it too small so the flower doesn't have any room ta grow, but ya don't want ta make it too big either."
Jack nodded. The winter spirit tilted his head. "Can't you just use a shovel?"
Bunny shrugged. "Ya can," he said. He turned to Jack, an impish smile on his face. "But what's wrong with gettin' yer hands dirty?"
Jack smiled, blue eyes sparkling. "There's nothing wrong with that," he admitted. The winter spirit then mimicked Bunny's actions, creating the perfect sized hole of his own. Bunny nodded in approval.
"Good job, mate," said Bunny. Jack beamed.
"What's next?" he asked.
"Placin' the seed in the hole," replied Bunny. He picked up his seed and placed it in the center of the hole that he had created. "Make sure it's nice and comfortable."
Jack put his own seed in his own hole, and he turned to Bunny for further instruction.
"And once ya've done that, ya can use all of the excess dirt ya had earlier ta bury the seed," Bunny continued. And he did just that, taking the leftover dirt from when he had first dug the hole, and placed it over the seed. Jack did the same.
"Give it a nice good pat ta make sure the dirt's nice and even," said Bunny. He patted his own small mound of dirt and Jack did as well. "And there ya have it. How ta plant a seed."
Jack chuckled in amusement. "I've never felt better," he said playfully. "Do I get a reward?"
Bunny shoved the winter spirit lightly. "Not on yer nelly, mate. Besides, we still have a lot more seeds ta plant." He turned to start digging a hole in the dirt. "We gotta get this done before Easter so the Warren can look fresh and new when the holiday arrives."
"Why are you planting these seeds anyway?" asked Jack as he picked a few seeds out of the small bag. "Can't you just, you know, summon these flowers at will?"
Bunny laughed as he dug another hole in the dirt. "I could do that if I wanted ta," he said. He turned to Jack. "Why do ya make snowmen when ya can just conjure one up with yer staff?"
"Because it's fun," answered Jack.
"Exactly," said Bunny. He placed his seed in the dirt. "Same reason why I plant flowers and such by hand. It's fun. Gettin' yer hands dirty, digging your fingers through the dirt, and tendin' ta the earth ta help it grow." Bunny's voice grew more and more thoughtful as he continued to speak. "It's not only fun, but it's healin' as well." Bunny placed some dirt over the seed he had just planted. "Usin' magic just takes all the fun out of it."
Jack stared at Bunny for a little bit; he had never heard the Pooka speak so passionately about something. Well, the winter spirit should have expected that. When it came to eggs, chocolates, and spring, Bunny was the most rapt of all of the Guardians.
He's really connected to his season, thought Jack. He could relate to Bunnymund. Jack didn't know what he would do if he wasn't the Spirit of Winter. He thought it was the best of all seasons, and the fact that he got to share it with the children and others made the winter spirit love it even more. Jack represented winter, he was winter. And he wouldn't have had it any other way.
Bunny's eyes grew distant. "Ma always used ta say that it was important that we take care of nature's plants. She was the best botanist I knew."
Jack brushed some dirt over the seed he had just planted, and he glanced at Bunny. He had never said much about his family, nor did he ever mention them whenever the time was right or fitting. The winter spirit had been so busy planting his seeds, that he had forgotten the real reason why he had come to see Bunny in the first place.
Bunny drew in a breath and continued to plant seeds, but he seemed less ardent then he had been before.
Jack paused his digging, and he rubbed the back of his neck, not caring about the dirt that he got onto it. He turned to Bunny, one hand fiddling with his hoodie strings.
"What was it like?" Jack asked quietly.
"What was what like?" inquired Bunny, not even looking up from his seed planting.
"The…" Jack paused for a moment. "The Golden Age."
Bunny stopped planting, and he seemed to freeze as he pondered Jack's question. The winter spirit pursed his lips, wondering if he should have even asked. Bunny was silent for a while, so Jack spoke up.
"I…I was just wondering," he said. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to—"
"Naw, it's fine, Frostbite," said Bunny, speaking at last. He turned to Jack. "Ya deserve ta know."
Jack's hand dropped from his hoodie strings as he listened to Bunny. The Pooka sat back and let out a breath.
"The Golden Age…" said Bunny. As he said those words, he seemed to be whisked away into hundreds—maybe even thousands—of memories, moments…all those that took place and happened during the Golden Age. Jack listened intently.
Bunny ran a paw over his ears. "It was amazin', mate. Everyone got along and there wasn't a speck of darkness anywhere. People traveled. Families were able ta live together. Everyone lived in peace and harmony."
"What about your family?" asked Jack. "And the other Pookas?" The question left Jack's mouth before he could stop himself. Bunny seemed to stiffen slightly, and Jack wanted to take his words back.
"S-Sorry," apologized Jack. "I didn't—"
"It's okay, Jack," reassured Bunny. Jack eased. "Us Pookas lived on a planet somewhat distant from the others of the Golden Age. We never saw much of people, so we mostly kept ta ourselves." Bunny's spring green eyes grew distant. "It was like livin' in one big family."
"That must've been nice," Jack commented.
Bunny nodded. "It was. Of course, we each had our own families. I lived with my Ma, Pa, and my four sisters and brother."
Jack blinked in surprise. "Wait, four sisters?"
Bunny nodded. "Ya heard me, mate. Four."
"Wow," said Jack. "That sounds…kind of crazy. Did you ever argue?"
"Naw," said Bunny. "We rarely ever fought. Besides, I had my brother. We were pretty close since we were the only boys." Bunny looked at Jack, a wistful smile on his face. "Ya remind me of him, ya know."
Jack was stunned. "M-Me?"
"Yeah, ya," Bunny said with a small laugh. "Ezra was the prankster of the family. Always gettin' into trouble and causin' mischief. He always acted innocent when he really wasn't. He was quite the charmer too, which usually got him out of punishment from Ma like ya do with Tooth."
Jack smirked. "He sounds like a nice guy. We'd get along pretty well."
"Yeah," said Bunny. He looked down, ears flopping against his head. "He would've loved ta meet ya…All of them would've. They deserved to live out their lives…"
Jack faltered as he watched Bunny's mood shift from wistful and somber to hurt and grief. Jack couldn't imagine what it would feel like to suddenly have your family and friends taken away from you in an instant. A flash, a blink…faster than a candle went out. Not even having the time to comprehend everything until after it occurred. Bunny's head hung low, and a few of the newly painted eggs that were happily playing nearby paused, seemingly sensing Bunnymund's saddened mood.
Jack placed a hand on Bunny's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Bunny," the winter spirit said softly. Pure sincerity waded in the winter spirit's cerulean eyes. "I really am."
Bunny turned to Jack, a soft smile stretching across his face. He patted Jack's cool, pale hand. "Thanks, Frostbite." The Pooka straightened out, looking over the bed of dirt that he and Jack had planted seeds in. "I think we're done here. All have ta do is water these and they'll be growin' in no time."
Jack helped Bunny water the newly planted seeds, and he wondered if Bunny ever used his spring magic to speed up the growing process. Considering the fact that Easter was only two months away, the winter spirit guessed that Bunny may use some kind of special plant food to make his flowers grow faster.
Once the Pooka and winter spirit finished watering the seeds, Bunny set the watering can aside and Jack picked up his staff. "Why don't we head ta my place and grab some tucker?"
Jack's brow furrowed in confusion. "Tucker?"
"Food, mate," said Bunny with an amused smile. Jack nodded slowly, but he had no idea how "tucker" was related to food. Jack jogged a bit to keep up with Bunny's long strides, trying his best to stay near Bunny's side. Another question popped into Jack's mind, and the winter spirit hesitated a bit before asking. Bunny didn't seem like he wanted to dive into the past again, but Jack asked anyway, knowing that answering his question wouldn't require much looking back.
"Hey, Bunny?" said Jack.
"Yeah, Frostbite?"
"Do you…Do you ever miss the Golden Age?" Jack asked. He and Bunny arrived at the door of Bunny's cottage, and Bunny placed his paw on the doorknob.
"Sometimes," the Pooka conceded. He looked at Jack. "But I got ya, Sandy, Tooth, and North. Ya all are the closest I have ta family, so I don't miss it all the time."
Jack smiled, placing a hand over his heart. "Aww…That was really sweet of you to say, 'Roo."
Bunny rolled his eyes, but a smile made its way onto his face. "Ah, rack off, Frostbite." He ruffled the winter spirit's hair. "Now, how about we go and grab something to snack on?"
Jack grinned as Bunny opened the door to his cottage. "Bring on the tucker."
Author's Note: I don't know why, but hearing tucker makes me think of a dog...It sounds like a good name for one, haha. XD
So! I had a lot of fun writing this one-shot. I can really tell that my writing has definitely improved from when I first started a loooong time ago (I've been writing a bit even before I joined FFN on September seventh =)). Jack and Bunny sound so much like themselves, and I absolutely love how the narration and dialogue went along so smoothly; I think my writing style has improve significantly. =) I actually came up with this entire scene in bed. When I was supposed to be sleeping. On a school night. At 10 PM. Seems like inspiration literally strikes at random for me. XD Name a place, any place, and I can come up with a story idea. XD
If you've read the books, Bunny's family and the rest of the Pookas were destroyed by Pitch (*glares at the Boogeyman* you evil, bloody, bloody drongo), which would definitely scar even the toughest of people (or Pooka in this scenario X)). Bunny may seem tough, but even I know that he wouldn't feel 100% fine knowing that his entire clan, friends and family were taken away from him in the blink of an eye. Poor Bunny. =(
Since we're not given the exact name of Bunny's family members, I had to create some of my own (I actually did this, like, a few months ago, but I didn't write any ROTG fanfics with Bunny's family mentioned until now sooo...XD) and now I've got a headcanon for Bunny's fam. X) My headcanon: Bunny had five siblings (yes, five. Was originally ten, but I shortened it. XD). Their names (from oldest to youngest) are Miriam, Ezra (the only boy other than Bunny), Melody, Jane, and Annika (and, of course, Bunny is the oldest X)). As for Bunny's parents, their names are Edmund and Adnua. =D They're a super close family, and they all care for each other very much. I spent a while developing their personalities and such, and I'll hint toward them whenever Bunny's family is mentioned. You'll also get to see them in action soon. A couple of months soon...*seriously hinting at a future fanfiction here if you can't tell, hehehehehe...*
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this first part to this two-shot, and I'll see you in, like, a nanosecond for the next one! X)
Until the next story!
~BeyondTheMoon11203
