The year is 1720 and I have finally been allowed to leave the domain and explore the outside world. After sparring with the eight spirits I've become close to, and one final sparring match with Mother Nature, they all determined I would be able to defend myself, but they sent Nimbus with me just in case since he's the one I've gotten closest to out of all of them aside from Mother Nature. "So, where to first, Jack?"
"I don't know. Where do you like to go?"
"Hmm...it's winter...but I like to go to Ireland and Scotland every now and then to make it storm. I can still make it storm, it'll just be colder than a normal storm."
"Alright, lead the way!" I told him as we both started flying into the air.
"We'll be going across the ocean, is that alright?"
"I've never seen the ocean in anything but the books in the library so yeah, that's perfectly fine with me." We laughed as we raced together across the ocean which was much more beautiful than I could ever imagine, and then I saw something jump out of the water. "Whoa!" I shouted and floated in place as more of them started jumping. "What are those!?"
"Really? You've never read about dolphins?"
"These are dolphins? They look a little bit different from the books."
"Uh, yeah, because their moving in and out of the water rather than staying on the same page." Nimbus chuckled low and put his hands in his jean pockets. "They're real fun to race with, wanna try?"
"Sure!"
"Okay, now, they can see us...all animals can, but since you might make them cold I'm going to lean down, introduce ourselves and see if they want to race."
"You can speak to dolphins?"
"I can speak to all of the creatures of the ocean. Most of my storms happen above all of the oceans." I watched in awe as Nimbus leaned down and seemed to get the attention of five dolphins. Two of them swam away, seemingly uninterested, but the other three started jumping out of the water in what seemed like excitement. "Alright, these are our competitors. They said they'll race us to the shore which isn't too far now, see? It's over there." I looked to where he was pointing and I nodded my head. "Get ready...get set...GO!" And we were off, and to my immense surprise, one of the dolphins was actually catching up with me, but then the dolphin swam away without warning, and the next thing I heard was, "Jack! Look out!"
I looked down at the left side of my stomach and there was a spear sticking out of it. "Cold ones should not fly so close to the ocean!" A voiced hissed and I felt the spear being yanked out of my body, and I felt warm arms wrap around me in a strong and urgent manner.
"Go back to the deep!" I heard Nimbus cry out, and as I slipped in and out of consciousness, I could see tears falling from his eyes. He looked at me as I heard whatever was behind me swim away, and just above him a raging storm began. There was lightning and thunder everywhere and his tears were falling on my face. I then realized that he was holding my legs in one arm and my torso in another. "I have to get you back! Stay awake, Jack!"
"So...sleepy..." I told him as I put a hand where the spear went through me. When I brought my hand up and we both saw the blood, and his eyes went wide with sharp panic.
"N-No!" He shouted and then we were flying straight into the storm.
"Nimbus...I'm...tired...I...hu..." I couldn't finish the sentence as everything finally went black.
I heard a muffle of something, but the only portion of Nimbus's voice I was able to get was, "...ther!"
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
I heard clanging and people rushing about. Everything was like a dull but loud echo. I blinked my eyes open and was practically blinded by a bright light. "Ni...m...bus?" I questioned, but it wasn't Nimbus who answered.
"Nimbus brought you to me." I heard Mother Nature say as she did something at my left side. "He said an ocean spirit attacked you, and they're not supposed to attack any of my spirits!"
"M-Moth...er...Nature...I...am...fine..."
"YOU ARE NOT FINE!" She shouted, but there was a deep sadness in her tone. "You're barely alive, and poor Nimbus had to leave the room while I get the shards out of your body. The spears the ocean spirits use are enchanted, and can do serious damage to spirits. It can also kill other spirits. It's why they make them...in case they need to defend the ocean from vengeful, dangerous, or reckless spirits and you are NEITHER of those things!"
"Why...did...he...have...to...leave?"
"Because..." She sighed out heavily as she reached for a needle and thread and brought her hands back to my side, but I couldn't feel them. "...he was a mess. He still is."
"He...was...cry...ing..."
"Yes, he was...and is. Abungu is just outside the room with him, trying to console him, but it's not working. Flora is very worried about you too, and we haven't had time to tell the others yet."
"What...exac...tly...are you...going...to...tell...them?"
"That you won't be able to fly or use your powers for two weeks at least..."
"T-Two...weeks!?"
"The enchanted spear did a lot of damage to you, Jack. If you try and fly or use your powers...it may reopen the wound."
"D-Did you...did you tell...Nimbus?"
"...No..." She whispered out as her lips pressed together in a thin line. "He thinks this is all his fault."
"He...asked...if I...wanted...to...try...and...race...the...dolphins. I told...him...yes. So...he...spoke to...them...and...we...started...racing."
"It's still not his fault."
"I...know. It's...the...spirit's...fault."
"Tell him that when I'm done. I will create a portal that will take you straight to your bed, and I will send him up to see you. He will be the only one allowed in your room unless you say otherwise."
"Heh..." I smiled weakly at the thought.
"What?"
"He's...the...only one...out of The...Nine...that...hasn't...been...in...my...room."
"Why do you call them 'The Nine?'"
"Because...they're...the...nine...spirits...I'm...closest to, and...have...been...since...I...arrived."
"Well...I'm almost done, so he'll get to see it soon."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
I was teleported to my room five minutes ago, and I was even under the covers too. Then, I heard my door be practically knocked down with how fast it swung open. I looked at the door, and saw Nimbus standing in front of the now closed door. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and there were still tears running down his face. "Nim...bus?"
"F..." His eyes widened for a brief moment, but then he cleared his throat and looked directly at me. "Jack?"
I almost didn't hear the first part of what he said, but I caught it, and I went back to what I heard just before blacking out. 'F...?...Ther...? F...ther? Father!?' My eyes widened at the word, because I found out right then and there that that was the something they needed, the something I wanted to do, the something I wanted to be, but I knew I had no right so I didn't get my hopes up too high. I was just glad it had a name, and I became content in that knowledge alone. I then became perfectly fine being their close friend, knowing I couldn't be their father. "Are...you...just...gonna...stand...there? There...is enough...room...for five of...me!" I lightly chuckled, but not too much, because I didn't want to feel more pain. He slowly made his way to my bed and sat down to the right of me, but his back was facing towards me. "Nimbus?"
"I'M SORRY!" He sobbed out, and I could see his shoulders shaking. I didn't say anything, because I felt like there was more than just a simple sorry, and there was. "I-I should've...I knew that...I didn't...the ocean spirits...I...I'm sorry!"
"It's...not...your...fault." I told him as I placed a hand against his back.
"YES IT IS! I knew the ocean spirits didn't like winter type spirits. I wasn't thinking! And because of me...you got hurt! I thought...when I saw...and then Mother..."
"You...said...something...when you...were taking...me...towards the storm." He immediately tensed up, and I had never seen him look so small, nervous, and frightened. "What was...it?"
"I-I...said..."
"You...can...tell...me...if I'm...wrong...but was...it...'Father?'"
He started sobbing again, but this time he leaned forward and put his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry..." He whispered out through his sobbing.
"What did...you...say...when...you...took...me...away?" I repeated, needing to know.
"I-I said...no...I begged...'Please don't die, Father!' And I...I wasn't...I wasn't thinking when I said it."
"Why...did...you...call...me...that?"
"Just...just forget it, okay?"
"No can...do." I told him as I tried to scoot up on my bed just enough to see him, which seemed to set off the alarms in his head as he instantly looked at me with a panicked and worried expression.
"You shouldn't move!"
Once I was comfortable I let out an irritated sigh. "I'll...agree...to that...if you...tell me...why you...said it."
"I...I said it..." He shook his head and let out what sounded like a defeated sigh. "I said it because that's how I've felt for a while now. You're like a Father to me...just...please...don't be angry or...or upset with me...and please...don't tell Mother!"
'If I'm to be honest...I see him the same way...' I smiled at him, and even though he couldn't see it, there was a tear that ran down my left cheek. "Can I...tell you...a secret?"
"Sure..." He sighed out.
"You...can't...tell...your...Mother...or...the others."
"I...I promise..." He told me with a skeptical brow, but still not looking at me.
"You swear?"
"I swear."
"I...think...of you...like...a son." His eyes immediately started tearing up again as he darted his gaze over at me. "I thought...I had thought...that...it was ridiculous...that I felt like this...towards you and...the others...but I do. I just...didn't know...the name of it...until you...said it. The...weirder...part...is...you're...all...older...than...me...but...I somehow...don't mind either. Weird...I know."
"Y-You...you think of me as a...?"
"I...can't...explain it...real well, but...yeah. Since I...met you...but I knew there...was...something...missing...but I...didn't...know what...it was. I just...knew...I wanted...to...be there for...you."
"I...but I thought...I thought you would think it strange."
"It is...in a way...but I can't...help...how I feel."
"Neither can I." He said in a combination of a laugh and a cry.
"That's...good...to know...but...I don't...want...Mother Nature...knowing...just yet...or the others..."
"The others feel the same."
"What?"
"I-I mean...well...they do...and don't worry. We've all kind of agreed not to tell Mother. We don't know how she would react, and we didn't say anything to you, because we didn't know how you might react, and we didn't know how you felt...the others still don't, but I...everyone knows that I'm closest with you, and even Abungu said I've gotten closer to you than I had with him or Mother...and he's fine with it."
"Nimbus...can you...get the other eight?"
"Of course!" He shot up out of the bed and opened the door, and simply smiled. "Well, looks like I don't have to go looking for them. They're all here. Come in, he wanted to see all of you."
Flora was the first one through and she ran for my bed and jumped on it wrapping her arms carefully around my neck. "We were all so scared! Nimbus was the most scared!"
"I won't deny it." I heard him say as he shut the door behind Summer. "Now...everyone knows that the rooms are soundproof...and what is about to be said, needs to remain in this room."
"You've stopped crying, but there are freshly dried tears." Abungu commented. "What is it that will be said?"
"Apparently Jack has felt a similar way about us, that we do him."
"You don't mean..." Mesi gasped and then looked at me.
"For a...while now." I answered.
"So...you know what he's talking about?" Bram asked carefully. "That we've all come to think of you like a..."
"Like a father? Yes." I answered in one sigh. "For a while...since getting...to know...all of you...really know...it's been the...same for...me. I feel like...I've...gained...children...I hope...it's not...too...strange...or awkward...that I...am...physically and spiritually...younger."
"No! Of course not! It's not weird to us at all!" Adara replied excitedly. "We thought that it was a bit strange at first because of the age thing...but we know that you never cared about our ages and scarcely cared about your own!"
"So...for how long have you thought of each of us as your child?" Mesi questioned cautiously.
"As far as a strong feeling goes? Because I didn't realize the word for it until Nimbus just mentioned it moments ago."
"Then, yes." Abungu answered with a small smile. "How long have you had that strong feeling for each of us?"
"For Nimbus, it was the...day I met him. For...Abungu, it was...about a week...after I met...him. For Flora, about two...months after...we met. For Adara, it...was around...the same time...as Flora. For Mesi, it was...about two...years after...we met. For Summer...it was about five...years after...we...met. For Autumn, it...was about...six years...after we met. Then...finally, for Bram...it was about...the same as...Autumn, but a...a bit later...in the year."
"Wow..." Bram breathed out a shaky breath.
"And...how...long have...you...all...been thinking...of...me...as...a...Father?"
Nimbus grinned at me and place a hand over the middle of his chest. "For me, it was when you told me that you really want to know us. The real us, and you said that we were more than just our powers and names."
Abungu stepped forward and crossed his arms with a broad smile. "For me it was when you put me in my place when Nimbus and I got into that fight with the tiger."
Flora let go of my neck and sat calmly on the bed. "For me it was when we met and you were super nice."
Mesi and Adara stepped forward and looked at each other before looking at me, and Mesi spoke. "For us, it was when we were so upset with each other that we were crying, and during the argument we had, you healed our wounds and told us it was going to be okay, and that sometimes it's okay that siblings don't get along, as long as we still love each other."
Isla stepped forward and sat on the bed next to Flora. "For me, it was when I got sick because of one of the disease spirits, and Mother Nature had to take over my duties. You spent the next three months taking care of me until I was better."
Summer came forward with a soft smile. "For me, it was I was feeling down about myself when I told you a little about my past and everything that happened to my wife and kids...and you consoled me about it. I won't say what was said, but it meant a lot, and when you stayed to hear me childishly cry and you didn't say anything until I was done...it reminded me of what my father from my old life did for me as a young child when I would be upset deeply about something."
Autumn came forward and nodded her head at me. "For me, it was the time that you and Mother's sparring match got a bit out of control three years ago, and you injured her. To me...when you helped the other spirits cook the meals when she couldn't AND you took care of her with her injuries and making sure she was happy...and you asked for my help...it was like I was helping my Father make my Mother well again."
Bram came forward but he moved to sit on the other side of me and crossed his legs, facing me. "For me..." He sighed out. "...it was sort of a suspicion when taught me how to carve, when you mended my wing after I got injured as a falcon when that eagle wanted to fight me, when you also made me feel a bit better about my past...and you see...those were merely when I had the suspicion that you may have been like a father to me...the real punch to the gut that made me fully realize it was when I saw Nimbus fly into the domain with tears in his eyes, holding your bloody and limp body. I instantly started crying and followed after Nimbus. I stopped crying after Abungu tried to console me, but Nimbus couldn't stop. It was almost like he wouldn't stop...but I couldn't stop worrying. It was like I was watching you die, because I saw the shards in your side, and knew it was from an ocean spirit. Those spears they use can kill spirits."
"Well then..." I chuckled as I looked at the people in front of me and next to me. "...seems I've...gained a family."
"Truly?" Isla asked with hopeful eyes.
I let out a soft chuckle and nodded my head. "Truly." I told them all, and I noticed quickly how some of them couldn't merely smile, but started crying as well with their smiles. "There is...one thing...though. We can't...tell...Mother Nature. I...don't...know...how she'll react."
"Like I said, we kinda agreed a while back to not tell Mother because of that very reason." Nimbus looked at everyone else in the room and they were all smiling at me. "So...a question for you...one that I think everyone in here is silently asking...are we allowed to call you Father when we're alone with you?"
"You mean...like now?" I asked with a risen brow.
"Yes." Abungu answered.
"Just how...soundproof are...these rooms?"
"Completely, and they are also resistant to Mother Nature's ability to read minds." Bram answered with a wide and grateful smile.
"Then, as long as...we're in one...of the rooms...I don't see any...reason why not...wow...I gained...nine children."
"And we've gained a Father." Nimbus said as he moved to hug me as tight as he could without agitating the stitches. Soon, I was wrapped by everyone in a very large and careful group hug.
Just as the hug was ending, we heard a knock at the door. "May I come in?" Mother Nature questioned.
"She asks that in case we're discussing something serious."
"Good thing...too." I chuckled. "How do I...tell her...yes?"
"I'll go get the door." Nimbus said as he got up from the bed and moved to the door. Once he opened it he made a hand motion to allow Mother Nature to come into the room.
When she did, and quickly noticed her children's faces she covered her hand over her mouth with a gasp. "My goodness...all of you are in here. Were all of you that worried about Jack?"
"They...apparently...were."
"And they all show evidence of crying." Her eyes became remorseful and I was reminded that I couldn't use my powers.
"Oh...everyone...there's something...I forgot to...tell you."
"What is it?" Bram asked me with a concerned look in his eyes.
"I can't use my...powers for...at least two weeks."
"TWO WEEKS!?" They all chorused together, and I let out an amused laugh.
"Yes, at least."
"We'll help you through it, won't we, everyone?" Summer asked with determination laced in his voice.
"Yeah!" They all said together.
"Quite the little following you've gained, Jack." Mother Nature smirked as she crossed her arms.
"Apparently." I said as I gave my 'children' a broad and appreciative smile.