A/N: A big thank you to my lovely reviewers, you made my day and we will be seeing some Rainbow Snowcone going forward. I hope everyone has been having a wonderful holiday season, whatever you may be celebrating. And a happy New Year, because realistically I probably won't post anything new till then.
Slang: Enter Bunny and his wonderful array of quips and snide remarks. This is where I'll be explaining any phrases or colloquialisms that may cause some confusion. The fun thing about Aussie slang is that we love to confuse you. For example,
Yeah, nah = No
Nah, yeah = Yes
(In this instance the intended exclamation is preceded by its positive or negative counter. Or to put it more simply, "no" means "yes", and "yes" means "no". Simple!)
Sheila = in reference to a woman
Strewth = a mild oath expressing surprise
The Tooth Fairy flitted above quickly and anxiously, still giving out orders to her fairies while trying to engage in the matter at hand.
"Ooh there's several in New Port, sector 12… You definitely saw the Night-Mare, Jack?… And four in Sydney, sector 2… I can't believe he's trying to pull another stunt… Oh my goodness have you ever seen a more perfect cuspid in your life!? More coming in from Budapest, sector 3, get moving-"
"Tooth!" interrupted North. "If we can please be having your full attention."
She shrugged apologetically. "Sorry! You'd think that peak season would be easter, but all that hard boiled candy from Halloween comes back with a vengeance just before Christmas," she explained as she smoothed back a feather on her head.
"Nah yeah, she's got a point there," came the affirmation from Bunny, with a vague gesture in their general direction as he looked over the control booth. "That bloody Jack -"
"Hey!"
"- O - Lantern. Ya know not everything's about you, right?." Bunny finished with a smirk
"I wasn't listening," Jack dismissed. "When you do say something important though, let me know. And yeah, Tooth, that's definitely what we saw, right Sandy?"
Sandy gave two thumbs-up.
She sighed. "Well thank goodness you're alright. I guess that would explain the lights though… Head over to New Delhi, we have two lateral incisors and three second molars - no, not from the same child… Oh!" Tooth stopped abruptly as a beam of bluish moonlight brightened the room. Jack had to squint his eyes, unaccustomed of being so directly addressed by the Man in the Moon.
"Ow, reckon he could tone it down a bit?" He joked to North. But the Russian was far more engrossed by what was happening to the mural six feet away from the control booth. Up until now, Jack had assumed that it was simply for decoration, but before his eyes the metal plate bearing a "G" disappeared below the floor and revealed a sizeable, roughly cut, turquoise crystal that rose up on a pedestal from the chamber it had been kept in.
"Oh, well this is interesting development." North commented and scratched his head thoughtfully.
"Wait, wait, wait. What? What is?" Jack demanded, looking from one spirit to another. Sandy raised his hand eagerly.
"Mate, every time you open your mouth you just make it more obvious that we're all one jump ahead of you." Bunny snickered.
"Slow and steady, cottontail." he reminded the rabbit. Sandy attempted to get his attention with images that passed above his head at a readable speed.
"Ok, let's see. Moon, snowflake and.." symbols of clovers, pumpkins, hearts and candles appeared and disappeared rapidly, "…slot machine?" he guessed as Sandy face-palmed.
Tooth finally interjected excitedly, "Jack, this happened when the Man in the Moon chose you."
The realisation dawned on him. "Is he choosing - "
"A new Guardian!" North yelled.
"Hang on, back up. Why do we need another one? We just got him," Bunny blatantly pointed at Jack, "no offence, mate."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "No, none at all."
"You're telling me the five of us aren't enough?" He looked up at the moon as though willing it to challenge his own power when North rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Bunny, is nothing personal. If Manny thinks we need help, he must be right. And I don't think we can take a hit from Pitch like last time," he admitted reluctantly. Tooth's wings beat even faster as the crystal began to emit a soft glow that grew brighter.
"You guys, he's about to show us!" She shook Jack's shoulder, barely able to contain herself, which made him smile softly to himself. "This has never happened twice in a century before."
Bubbles of light pulsated and swirled together before revealing a feminine silhouette who's features became gradually clearer: A heart shaped face with a widows peak hairline that gave way to full, curly hair. Her bodice, pointed at each shoulder, came in tight at the waist, and her skirt pointed similarly on either side, starting at the hips and extending down to the ankles. The outfit was panelled and sectioned in pieces that flowed together to resemble a stained- glass window, and slung across her right shoulder was a bow and a quiver of arrows. In her right hand she presented a smokey, wispy creature that echoed the appearance of fire. What was most striking, however, was her expression. Her eyes appeared determined, with dark lips that quirked upward in a smirk.
The five Guardians were speechless until North decided to break the stunned silence.
"Ah. So we will have Valentina joining us, I suppose?" He didn't seem entirely convinced.
Bunny nudged Jack and began to confess. "Uh, you know how everything I've said to you since you were chosen has been -"
"…About how I'd make a terrible guardian?"
"Yeah. that."
"Yeah?"
"I take it all back."
Jack laughed, "sure you do."
"No, no. I mean it. That sheila's gonna be worse than you." Bunny reassured him.
Jack was amused until he saw the noticeable concern on each face. "Why is this a bad thing?" he asked with genuine confusion.
"Jack," Tooth turned to him, "do you know who Valentina is?"
"I know of her." He suggested.
"Valentina Cupidonia. She helps people find love, you know, relationships, soulmates." She raised her eyebrows slightly at him.
"Yeah sure I know that." He realised that he had been inching ever so slightly closer to her. "But, uh wha - what does that have to do with bringing joy to children?" he asked through a stammer.
"Strewth, it finally clicked," Bunny mocked. "Mate, you are slow."
North continued to explain, "what Tooth and Bunny are trying to say, it makes no sense why Manny would choose a guardian that has nothing to do with children."
Jack's head tilted to one side in thought as he assessed the vision again. She didn't seem like the romantic type with her hard expression and devious glint in her eyes. And certainly not the type to concern herself with children. Although admittedly North, with his brandishing of swords, wouldn't give that impression straight away either.
"I guess when you put it that way," he agreed. "But she might surprise us, you never know. I mean I did." He said through a mischievous grin and leant an elbow up on the crook of his staff. Bunny could be heard muttering something to the contrary under his breath.
North moved to face the group and made an announcement. "My fellow Guardians, it is once again time to welcome another among us. Although we may have eh, doubts about Manny's decision, we must have trust in him. And we must trust Valentina. The safety of the children depends on it." Sandy clapped silently, but none the less enthusiastically, in response. "Thank you, Sandy. Now, who wants to be one to bring her here? I get the sack. Bunny?"
Jack interrupted, "I think I speak on behalf of all future guardians when I say that that is not your most convincing method of recruitment."
North was genuinely surprised. "No? But it worked -"
"Just trust me on this one," he insisted.
Tooth raised her hand. "I can do it," she offered, "she shouldn't be too hard to find." North nodded in approval.
"Otlichno! Many thanks, Tooth. But what about tooth collecting?" he reminded her.
"Oh, it's fine," she replied, "nothing my fairies can't handle. Girls?" She turned to her helpers, "you know what to do. Keep everything going until I get back." With a series of small salutes, the fairies flitted away back to the Tooth Palace.
"In that case, here, take this with you. Use to come back with Valentina." North pulled a snow globe out from inside his coat pocket, placed it in a satchel that had been hanging up on the nearest wall and handed it to Tooth.
"Thanks, North." She turned to the rest of them as she ascended, "I'll be back soon," she farewelled. The other Guardians dispersed quickly to complete various jobs in preparation, but Jack hung back.
"Hey, um, Tooth?" he called. Upon hearing her name she turned back and flew down to him.
"Yes, Jack?" she laughed with a slight infliction on his name. He ran his fingers through his frosty white hair and seemed to have forgotten why he called her back.
"I just.. uh.. have a good trip," he finally uttered with some certainty, "and be careful, please," he added sincerely.
"I'll be fine," she reassured him brightly. "It's a quick trip, nothing to worry about. And besides," she continued with confidence, "I'm the fastest flyer we've got."
"Oh! Are you now?" It was his turn to laugh. "I wasn't aware there was a competition."
"There isn't. I just blew it out of the water," she teased with a wink. " Goodbye, Jack, I won't be long." With a quick hug, she kissed him on the cheek and was away before the winter sprite had realised what happened. He could feel the kiss linger on his skin and raised his hand to touch his cheek absentmindedly.
"Wow," he whispered to himself.
Tooth already had an idea about where the unassuming new Guardian could be and prepared herself for the journey. The Spirit of Love (as she was sometimes known) had been an acquaintance of Tooth's for one or two centuries and she knew that she would most likely find her in Paris. Was it an obvious choice? Yes, but that was where the predictability surrounding this girl most definitely ended. Now, as a fairy she was a very fast flyer, and could have possibly made it to her destination in under an hour, but time was of the essence and Valentina needed to be located as quickly as possible. So she had another plan, a method of transportation that, in fact, she rarely got to use, seeing as she spent most of her time at the palace and flying was fast enough to go anywhere else. It was a teleportation of sorts where she could evaporate from one side of the world and be on the other in seconds. In her early days when she was a regular in the field it had been her default way of getting around. But that was a very long time ago.
"Ok," she coached herself, "let's see if I've still got it." After a moment of pure concentration her form was consumed by light particles, and the Tooth Fairy disappeared.
Tooth's estimation had been slightly off. Instead of materialising in a quiet laneway of Paris, she found herself in the middle of the chaotic roundabout encircling the Arc de Triomphe.
"Oh no!" she whispered beneath the din of the traffic. All around her tourists bustled attempting to take photos of themselves without getting others in them. It would have been comical if she hadn't been completely exposed to the mortal eyes of the children who happened to be in the vicinity. In the presence of only adults she most likely would have remained invisible, but there was indeed a catch to being believed in.
"Mum, Mummy, look! There's a bird lady!" Tooth whipped around to find the child that had spotted her.
"Fairy" she muttered under her breath. He was, thankfully, being dragged in the opposite direction by unrelenting parents. Through gritted teeth she smiled and gave a small wave as he disappeared behind a contiki tour group. Suddenly she felt herself being yanked into the air by something that had a vice grip her arm which caused her to scream in fright.
"What in the hell were you doing out there?" A voice from above her yelled. Tooth looked up to see a young woman in a blur of reds and pinks holding on to her upper arm with surprising strength.
"Val, thank goodness I found you!" She realised with relief.
"More like I found you. What gives? You could have been seen." Valentina scolded.
"I was. It doesn't matter. It's a long story. Would you mind putting me down so I can explain?" Tooth pleaded as the wind buffeted her face and strained her wings.
"Ok, hold on." Valentina steered them east following the Seine River until they reached the Notre Dame Cathedral in all its grandeur and landed unceremoniously among the gargoyles with its two bell towers rising above them either side. With both her arms finally free, Tooth brushed down any wayward feathers that had been disturbed in their whirl-wind flight until she gleamed in every shade of green and blue.
"So now that you've primped and preened, do you want to tell me what that was? Valentina demanded. There was a harshness to her voice, but Tooth could sense that beneath it was concern. "More to the point, what are you doing here?"
"I'm getting there," she reassured her as she brushed back her feathered crown, "Phew. Ok. Well you see, I just attempted evaporative materialisation but I was a tiny bit off cause it's been a while since I've had to use it and my estimation and visualisation threw me out and that's how I ended up in that crowd and-"
"Breathe."
"-It was all to look for you. Wait," Tooth was confused, "why did you come and get me, you could have been spotted too?"
"Ha! That's a good one. No one actually believes in me, Tooth. I'm just a Hallmark card catchphrase to most people, so there's zero chance of me becoming visible to anyone," she said with a hint of bitterness. "You help people find the one thing they want more in the entire world and they never know. It's the definition of a thankless job. Besides, we girls have to stick together. But rewind for a second, you're looking for me?"
"Yes I am." She was suddenly aware of how to convince Valentina to go with her. "What if I told you it's all about to change? All this ingratitude and invisibility. What if there was a way you could be believed in?" Tooth suggested eagerly. "I've come from the Pole actually, direct orders from North."
"North?" Valentina's eyes narrowed, "what does he want?"
"Well its not exactly North. It's MIM."
"The Man in the Moon?"
"Yes, he's the one who wants you. Or rather, who chose you," Tooth corrected herself. "Val, about two hours ago he chose a new Guardian and it was you. So now I'm here to bring you back with me for your first official briefing." Valentina stared for a moment trying to comprehend what the fairy had revealed before realising the hilarity of it all.
"You've got to be kidding me," she laughed almost hysterically, "I'm not Guardian material, look at me." She held her arms out in defeat, allowing Tooth to give her a once over and agree. But she simply rolled her eyes.
"It has nothing to do with how you look. What matters is what's at the heart of what you do.
"I deal with sad saps working though unrequited love."
"You and I both know that's not just it."
"I haven't had a close encounter with a kid for two centuries."
"Neither had I till 6 years ago."
"I have weapons."
"So do the rest of us!" Tooth's voice had gradually been getting louder as she grew more frustrated.
"Well obviously I'm fully qualified then." Valentina observed in her deadpan humour.
"None of us were when we started, I promise. But, like it or not, Val, you are a Guardian of Childhood. All that matters is how you bring joy and happiness to the children of the world. I understand that you're shocked and confused, we all are. There is something out there that we have to prepare ourselves to face, no matter what it takes. And, admittedly, right now I can't see the direct correlation between your specialties and what we do either, but I can assure you that if MIM chose you above all others to join us then you're the person we desperately need right now." Tooth was slightly breathless from her impassioned speech and Valentina gave her a searching look. After some internal deliberation she conceded.
"Ok, ok, I hear you." She exhaled forcefully, "whatever's going on must be pretty messed up for you to get me involved. So, just what are we up against here?"
Tooth's face brightened and her wings beat faster lifting her into the air.
"I am so glad you asked," she said grinning. She pulled the satchel from around her, retrieved the snow globe and, with a determined smile at Valentina, raised her arm to throw glass sphere.
"I say… North Pole."