Family, Souls, and Secrets

by animefan021513

After being walked through, Jack returns to his pond, but when he does there's a beautiful woman standing there. Mother Nature. She offers him a home and place to hone his powers. What will it be like living there? What people will he meet? What kind of relationships will blossom while he's there? How is he connected to Bunny's youngest brother? Read and Find out!

23. Emily and Snowdrop

Once I opened my eyes, I noticed everyone was here, but standing right behind Emily was someone I couldn't help but smile at. "So, you've come to visit have you, Manny?" I asked after I quickly looked at my body, and noticed it was my Pooka form. However, at my words, everyone looked at Manny almost instantly, and Emily turned around.

"Manny?" Emily questioned with widened eyes.

"Oh, if you think I'm going to miss out on this, you have another thing coming. I want to see how the Princess of the Universe asked for what you asked for Emily."

"Wait!" Nimbus shouted in a dumbfounded tone. "What do you mean Princess of the Universe?"

"Oh, well...you all know that my Father was Pitch Black and that he was someone before being Pitch Black...and well...he was Lord High General of the Galaxies...he was basically king of the Universe." I noticed the embarrassed flush on Emily's face, and I moved towards her to nuzzle it away. Once I was done, I got an appreciative look from Emily. "Thank you, Snowdrop."

"Wait..." Abungu started as realization seemed to dawn on him. "...Mother knew Father in his past life...I mean...his past past life...and she does not seem to mind Father in his Pooka form...Mother, does this mean that you loved Father in his past past life?"

"Very much so." Emily answered as she looked up at me with all the love in the universe.

"And I loved her for probably longer than she loved me." I replied as I held her hands in my paws.

"So, it doesn't bother you that he was a different species?" Eira asked, causing me to turn around and gently smile at her.

Emily shook her head with a gentle smile of her own. "No, and really...no one personally cared about species, race, or anything like that back then. I talked to my Father about it, and he approved because he knew Snowdrop to be a good Pooka, and the Pooka REALLY don't care or even think about being a different species, because once they acknowledge..."

I held my hand up to her and smirked. She seemed to get the hint, because she closed her mouth and nodded her head. I looked to them and smiled softly. "When a Pooka acknowledges that he's in love with someone...there isn't a force alive, dead, or distant that could stop that love. Pooka love for Eternity, and whenever we're reincarnated, we still love that person and only that person. Sometimes it results in our reincarnation never finding love in their life, but they just become content that way. However, I got extremely lucky and I met my love once again."

My children nodded, and the other Guardians understood, but then they all took a look around. Well, all except Sandy and Aster, but the look of stunned awe on their faces was amazing. I then noticed Bram looking at the grass beneath his feet, and his shot up to me immediately. "Father, the grass! It's the same as your room!"

"Yes, I know." I chuckled out before looking at Tooth. "Tooth, can you continue the memory? I know you paused it."

"Yes, of course, Jack." With a wave of her hand the memory started.

Memory Emily appeared a good ways in front of us using her leaf teleportation, and she started walking, so we started following. Soon, I realized that she was walking towards the tree I would always see in my dreams when I would be talking to the other half of my soul, and now it dawned on me why I saw that spot. It was always where I would meet her, but apparently she met Aster this time, because as we reached the top of the hill, Aster sat there painting Googies, and there was an amused smile on her face at seeing him. "Good evening, Aster."

Aster looked up at Emily and gave her a wide grin. "Good evenin', Princess. What can I do for ya?" He asked as he finished another Googie and stood up to meet her eyes.

"Well, I was wondering if there was something you could help me with." Emily stated as she placed her hands behind the back of her long flowing blue and golden dress that stopped just before her ankles.

"Oh? Does your Father know you're here?" Aster asked as he crossed his arms.

"Yes, he does, and he's also aware of why, and honestly, you're the same age as my uncle. There's no reason to sound like a disapproving old man."

"Uh huh..." Aster scoffed out a laugh as he nodded his head. "...you're right, Princess, I am the same age as your uncle, but I'd watch who you call old. I'm not that much older than you...well..."

"Well? You're eighteen years older than I am. I'd say that makes you old." She giggled out with a mischievous glance.

"Ya know..." Aster smirked. "...you have a very twisted way of askin' for a favor, Princess. What is it ya wanted, and don't try and avoid the subject. You're worse at avoidin' subjects than Snow."

"Well, you see...it was actually Snowdrop that I wanted to talk about."

Aster's eyebrows raised a great deal and his eyes widened at the nervous blush that appeared on Emily's face. Soon, Aster had a look of realization and his arms immediately dropped at his sides. "No way..." He whispered out, and earned a confused look from Emily, but his grin soon widened. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

"I-I...well...I mean..."

'Wow...I've never seen Mother like that with or about anyone, but Father.' Adara commented.

'To be fair...it's still me. Now watch.' I told her with a wide smile.

"Princess? Judging by your stuttering, I'm right, so I'm gonna ask another question and I'm really gonna need you to at least answer yes or no, alright?" She nodded her head as she looked up into Aster's eyes. "Did you come to ask me about how to court a Pooka?"

"Y-Yes."

"Did you also come to ask for my permission to court a very specific Pooka?"

"Yes." She answered again with an even deeper blush than before.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Aster bellowed out with a joyful laugh. "I thought ya were never gonna ask me!"

"Wh-What!? Y-You knew!?" She squeaked out as the blush started to creep down her neck.

"Princess, I've known since the two of ya first sparred! Go ahead, let's look at the memory." Emily seemed hesitant, but she lifted her hands up to Aster's head, and suddenly we were pulled into the extra memory as well.

Once we were pulled into the memory I noticed how everyone was a bit confused, but that was because they didn't know that Emily's domain was actually modeled after where she really lived. 'Why are we back?' Nimbus asked.

I shook my head with a small smile. 'We're not. Emily's domain is an exact replica of where she really used to live, minus the specific living quarters.'

'Oh...and you've been there before...' Mesi started. 'That explains why you're able to use your magic in the castle...you're already connected to it.'

Emily and I looked at each other with astounded expressions. 'That...actually makes sense.' I told her and she nodded her head. 'Alright, let's watch.' I told them, eager to see how our very first sparring match went considering I don't remember it very well. The memories were still there, but they were also still coming back due to my extremely long life.

"Alright, Princess Emily, you called me here yet you don't show?" I asked as I stepped out of the forest and into the sparring area. Suddenly, I saw my ears twitch, and I instantly turned around to block Emily from jumping down from the trees wearing similar armor to Sandy's, but her's was quite different. It still held the stars on the legs, and the League of Star Captains symbol on the chest, and the golden stripe on the side, but her's was a forest green, and held intricate golden and silver swirls etched into the armor. "Well, and a good morning to you too, Princess."

"Good morning, Snowdrop." She smiled and stopped her attack.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "Is there a reason you called me to your palace? Your Father was speaking with Aster when he told me you wished to see me."

"Yes! I wanted to spar with you! I've seen you spar with Aster and I've even seen you beat Sandy in a few sparring matches! I wanted to have a go at it!"

I shook my head as I chuckled low. "Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I am!" She exclaimed with pure enthusiasm.

"Well, who am I to deny the Princess?" I smirked and stepped a few feet back. "So, are there rules?"

"Hmm...the first one to get the other to fall to the ground three times wins. Not that you will, but if there should be any rules, I'll allow that one."

"When do we start?" I asked, and immediately blocked her oncoming attack.

"Now, seems like a good time." She smirked, and my eyes widened at the memory.

'That is...' Nimbus started.

'That's almost exactly how Mother and Father's first sparring match started...when we knew that it was love at first sight for them.' Bram finished.

"Hey!" I heard Aster shout from the garden. "Princess, ya said that you'd wait for us!"

"Well, to be fair, Aster, she is a wild child." Current me was blinking in complete surprise and shock at the warmth in Pitch's...no...Kozmotis's voice.

'THAT'S PITCH!?' North questioned in disbelief.

'THAT'S PITCH!' Tooth gaped in shock, and I knew they were both caught off guard by the lack of gray skin and black clothing. He was wearing green tinted armor with accents of gold, with golden and silver etchings into the armor in the form of intricate swirls, and his green cape golden was clasped firmly to the shoulder pieces of his armor as it hung gracefully.

"Wild child or not, the woman needs to learn patience." Aster laughed out.

"Hey! I have plenty of patience!"

"Oh really?" Kozmotis smirked with pure amusement. "Tell me, how old are you, daughter?"

"I-I'm eighteen..."

"That's right, yet somehow you have the patience of a five year old." Kozmotis snickered lightly. "Oh, you are more like me than your Mother would like, but it's so amusing."

"I was about to say!" Aster started. "You don't have much patience either, Koz." I nudged him with my elbow.

"Alright, alright!" Kozmotis laughed as he batted Aster's paw away. "Fair enough! You know, you're lucky you're my little brother's best friend."

"Luck has nothing to do with it!" Aster beamed.

"Sure it does, Rabbit." Kozmotis rolled his eyes. "They just so happen to assign my little brother to you when you were younger, and you're able to hear his true voice? Only I have been able to hear it before, but I'm his biological brother."

"Yeah, yeah...let's get this sparring match over with. Should be over quickly enough."

"I agree! Emily will make quick work of him." Kozmotis smirked.

"Oi! If ya think Emily is gonna beat him ya have another thing comin' Koz. Sandy may have trained me, but I trained Snow."

"Ah..." Kozmotis rubbed the bottom of his chin and then he sent an apologetic smile towards Emily. "...good luck, daughter."

"You can't be serious!?" She laughed out before turning to face me again. "Fine."

"Very well then." I smirked. "I take it Aster and General Kozmotis will be judging our sparring match?"

"No, we will not." Kozmotis grinned. "My daughter has apparently already set the rules. All that's left is for us to make sure you don't kill each other."

"Very well." I nodded my head at Kozmotis, who returned my nod in kind. Then, I looked to Emily with a wide smirk. "Remember Princess Emily, you asked for this." I started running on all fours, and the wind was at my command. "Wind! Knock her off her feet!" I shouted, and the wind did just that. Current me stared on with widened eyes as I realized that I had merely thought that when Emily and I first sparred in her domain. I then sauntered over with pure confidence before crouching next to her. "Hmm...That's one for me I believe." She narrowed her eyes at me and tried to send a bolt of lightning at me, but I dodged it immediately by doing a back flip, allowing the wind to take me into the air briefly, before it set me down a safe distance away. "Whoa! Careful where you shoot that thing, Princess Emily! You'll make a Pooka think that you're serious!"

"Oh! You're so infuriating sometimes!" She growled out as she stood back up.

"Only sometimes? Man, I really need to work on that then!" I laughed out as I shot out electric ice energy from my hands and to her directly, but instead I got the ground next to her.

"I will defeat you in a sparring match!" She shouted as she looked at the ground that frosted, but quickly melted.

"Are you sure you want to be that confident? I'm very competitive. You should ask Aster." I smirked, and she gained some of her composure back at my words as she gave me a smirk of her own. She started to shoot more lightning at me, which I easily evaded. "Hmm...that doesn't seem to be working." I then ran towards her on all fours, quickly coming up behind her with a cocky smirk and tapped my foot against the ground freezing it, making her slip when she tried to send another lightning bolt at me. "You don't listen do you, Princess." I chuckled out. "I told you that wasn't working. You should really try something else, oh...and that's two for me and zero for you."

"Very well then. You want to play it like then?" She stood up and gave a stance as her legs stood at shoulder length and I watched her stomp her right foot, and to my immediate surprise, vines erupted from the ground and they started whipping at me.

"Whoa!" I laughed out as I bobbed and weaved in and out of them on all fours with a slightly proud look on my face. "Now that's more like it!" I then moved to one of the vines while on all fours, and used my hind legs to freeze and then kick the vines, shattering them to pieces. Once I did that, I stood up to face her, because her vine attack stopped, and I gave her a confident grin as I shrugged my shoulders. "Ah, but alas, it wasn't good enough."

Right at my words I quickly noticed a wicked smile appear on her face and I felt one of the vines wrap around me tightly, swiftly bringing me to the walked up to me and brought her hand up, and therefore, bringing me up to face her on eye level. "Don't get cocky." She told me with a mischievous smirk.

"My lady, I believe you'll find that you were being cocky before I was." My paws and arms started to glow, and I could see the ice energy seep through and I froze the vines to such a degree that they shattered from the intensity. "Or perhaps calling you a Lady was a stretch. Yeah...better stick to Princess."

"How dare you!?" She asked as she started whipping at me again with her vines, but now she was also shooting lightning at me. "Stay still, you ass!"

"Oh, my...so brash!" I laughed as I continued to freeze and smash her vines while dodging the lightning. "Yeah, Lady was definitely a stretch."

"Oh really!? Then, what do you see when you look at me, if not a lady?"

I quickly headed towards her, and dodged a lightning bolt as I came up behind her and hooked my arms under hers. "I see a woman." I told her as I then pushed her to the ground. "And a fierce one at that." I chuckled out. "Now, that's three for me and one for you." I held out a hand to her and she shook her head with a laugh as she took it. Once I helped her up I gave her a soft smile.

"You're not just powerful, but patient, witty, and a gentleman."

"I think the term would be gentle-Pooka." I smirked. "And you did well, my lady." I slowly let go of her hand and stood a little taller.

"R-Really?"

"Oh yes!" I grinned. "You took my insults and you watched everything I did. I would be more than happy to spar with you again. It's a nice change of pace from sparring with the inseparable three."

"The inseparable three?"

"My brother, Sandy, and Kozmotis. For some reason you can never keep them apart for long."

"Hey, what did I miss!?" We heard Sandy ask as he appeared through a golden portal.

"You see?" I chuckled. "Until next time, my lady."

"Wait! You called me a lady just then, but during the battle you said..."

"Yes well...you are when you're not trying to whip at me, and when you're not cussing at me, demanding me to be still. When you're not being a fierce woman, I can see you as a lady."

"What's your definition of a lady then?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Calm, patient, understanding, cunning, and intelligent. You are all of these things when you're not fighting. When you're fighting...from what I've seen...you are fierce, brash, still cunning, but also willful, wild, determined, and not someone to mess with that's for sure."

"Is that so?" She questioned with widened eyes and surprised smile.

"I wouldn't have said it if it weren't."

"Well..." She breathed out as she looked to Aster, Sandy, and Kozmotis who were now looking at us with stunned eyes and knowing smiles for some unknown reason. "...why are the three of you looking at us like that?"

"No reason." Aster commented with a slight smirk.

The memory faded again, and we were back to where Aster and Emily were by the tree, and they both staggered a bit. 'Tooth, can you pause the memory?' Once I asked that, she did, and I tried to wrap my head around everything I just saw.

'It was almost exactly the same!' Nimbus whisper-shouted in shock. 'How is that possible!?'

'It's a part of the reincarnation thing...but it would've only been possible if...' Aster trailed off and my ears instantly flattened in embarrassment as he looked at Emily. 'You to actually did it, didn't you?'

'D-Did what?' Nimbus asked with a curious expression.

'Emily, you completed your courting didn't you?' He asked with a small smile and eyes filled with astonishment. 'The two of you are truly bound for eternity aren't you? Snow...' He then turned to me and I gave him a shy smile. '...you completed the bond?'

'Uh...yeah...we wanted to tell you together, but you kept coming and going from the burrow...there wasn't really a good time to tell you...'

'Wait a minute.' Eira started. 'What do you mean by completing a bond? What...? Can I have a comparison please?'

'Essentially...' Aster trailed off with a proud and joyful grin. '...it's like getting married and losing your virginity to only one person for all of eternity...and they did it. That's why they had a very similar sparring session. Their hearts were trying to reconnect with one another again, but...Emily...you're human...how did you...?'

'After a million years...I still loved him. I never stopped...but then Manny told me he wanted me to take care of a spirit, and he said...'

Manny stepped forward with a proud smile as he looked up at Aster. 'I told her that she would know who Jack was as soon as he opened his door.'

'And he was right, although...at the time...I had thought he meant that Jack Frost was Snowdrop's reincarnation...it wasn't until after we got married that I found out the truth. Manny met me in a dream, and admitted to time traveling and soul magic which are very forbidden things, but he also showed me the memory of what he did and what Snowdrop was willing to do. I won't go into details, but it's why Jack is the way he is. He holds two souls. His human soul, and his Pooka soul.'

'Wait, so you knew since I touched and opened my door?' I asked her quickly.

'Yes, I did. It startled me a bit, but once I saw your door and then the inside of your room, I knew you were Snowdrop reincarnated...I just didn't know about the soul magic until our wedding night.'

'Oh...okay, that makes sense.'

'Okay...' Eira started with a slightly flushed face. '...So...Uncle Aster said that it was the equivalent of being married to and loosing your virginity to only one person for all of eternity, but you can't lose your virginity more than once...'

'You can if you're reincarnated like I was.' I told her. 'Each life has new virginity, and Emily took mine in both lives.'

'Wait...so Mother...with you as a Pooka?' Bram questioned with a stunned look on his face.

'Not in the way you think.' I chuckled lightly. 'For Pooka...it's different. Pooka don't have sex.'

'I'm gonna regret this, because I'm getting the talk from my Father about what he did with my Mother as a giant rabbit...but how is it different?" Summer asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

'I kissed her, and then we were bound. That's all it takes for any Pooka. Once you give your intended your first kiss, you are giving them everything and have become mated with each other.' I answered with a smug grin, because all of my children physically relaxed at the fact I didn't mention sex.

'What about having children though? It was a planet full of your kind.' Isla mentioned with a confused expression.

'Ah, well, typically in the male's family the mated couple would go to his family and ask the most powerful Nature Pooka to not only bless the Female's womb, but they would use their magic to take one drop of blood from both the male and the female, and then they would cast a spell on it using the light of life. Then, after that the Nature Pooka would place what would then be a shining white orb, into the female's core. After that, it's a waiting game of anywhere from five to six months. Sometimes there's two, but usually there's only one at a time. My Mother and Father were kit crazy, but stopped with me when they found out I was a snow Pooka...which was when my white fur started to grow in and my markings started to change. Oh, and a kit is what a baby Pooka is.'

'So...if the two of you wanted a...kit...of your own, who would you have gone to see? Who was the most powerful Nature Pooka?' Tooth asked with pure curiosity in her eyes.

'Aster.' I stated proudly.

'And we almost asked him too.' Emily admitted. 'However, it's like Jack said...he was in and out quite a bit due to the nightmares and fearling he had to help my Father fight.'

'Wow...' North breathed out with a delighted smile, but then a thoughtful look crossed over his features. 'Can I ask something?'

'Of course.' I answered.

'Since you are still Snowdrop, and since you still have your soul...would it be possible to still do that ritual, and have Mother Nature give birth to Kit?'

Aster, Emily, Sandy, and I all looked at each other with stunned expressions. 'It...actually...' Aster started as he looked at Emily. '...actually, yeah, that's possible...It's happened before with a female Pooka that was reincarnated as a human, but discovered who she was. She fell in love, mated, and then was able to give birth to two kits.'

'OH!' Eira jumped with pure joy in her voice. 'Can I have a little Pookan brother or sister!? Please Mother? Please Father?'

I looked over at Aster who now had the most hopeful expression I had ever seen on anyone in my full entire life. I looked at Emily and smiled. 'Would you mind?'

'We were going to ask him anyway.' She grinned, and then turned to face Aster who was now crouched on his haunches, as he started crying. 'Aster? Are you alright!?'

'I...are the two of ya serious?'

'Yes.' We said together.

'Oh by the stars...' He started sobbing into his paws. 'I-I...I already have such a beautiful niece, and she's so perfect...but you're talkin' about...if I do this for the two of ya...I won't be the last Pooka anymore.'

'Techinically with what Manny did to me, you're ALREADY not the last, but you'll be able to teach them how to paint. They can visit your Warren and you can teach them all types of different things.'

Aster stood up straighter with a steady stream of tears falling from his eyes, and his breathing grew heavy. He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me, and sobbed into my fur. "I-I w-would...I would b-be h-honored...to. Oh stars...I...I thought I couldn't get a-any h-happier after M-Manny t-told me about the s-soul magic...and that you were a-alive...'

'We'll have plenty of time to talk about that after the memories of Emily asking you to court me.' I told him as I rubbed circles in his back. 'Thank you so much, Aster.'

We allowed him to cry out for the next thirty minutes before he tried to dry the tear-stained fur. 'Alright...let's watch the rest of the memory.' Tooth then resumed the memory.

"Do you see now?"

"But that was..."

"Five hundred years ago, and let me tell ya...you're Father made me promise to keep it a secret, and when I watched how ya reacted with Snowdrop over the years, it grew harder and harder to keep that promise. So, yeah...do ya see what I mean?"

"Y-Yeah...so will you t-teach me how to court him?"

"I would be glad to, Princess."

"You can just call me Emily, Aster."

"Very well, Emily." He grinned. "So, first off, as the one you're asking permission from, there are some other questions I have to ask ya, because you see...Pooka don't love and lose and love again like everyone else does. If we love, that is...if my brother returns your feelin's...that means he'll love you for all of eternity. Even if his Pooka body should die...whatever form he takes next will love you just the same if not more. It's a love that transcends time, and he will never love another for as long as the universe exists."

"I...wow...I didn't know that..."

"I kinda figured. Do you still want to court him, knowing that he will never love another but you for as long as he or the universe shall live? Even if you die, he'll still love you. He will never BE ABLE to love another, and if he should die, his reincarnation will love you just as much."

"I...I do."

Aster's shoulders relaxed quite a bit and he nodded his head. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"I know how much ya feel for him...how much ya love him. I've seen it...I was worried that perhaps if you knew all of that...you wouldn't want to court him."

"No...I know what I want, and I want to be by his side, and I want him by mine."

"Oh my..." Aster whispered out as he placed a paw on his head.

"What?"

"If the two of ya ever become officially bound...once the courtin' is done that is...if the two of ya become officially bound...that would make my little brother the Prince of the universe...and because he would be bound to you...it would be that way for all eternity as well...it would even carry over into his next lives...oh my...even if the Golden Age ends...it'll still be that way..."

"Yes, and should I ever be reincarnated, I would still be the princess until my Father names me otherwise, or until I have to take up the higher title."

"Oh boy...this is a bit over my head...but I'll be glad to teach ya, Princess."

"Thank you so much, Aster!"

"Not a problem, Emily. Okay, so first thing's first...I don't think I have to ask you how much you love him as you've already proven that by telling me that you fully accept what you're asking of him and what you will be doing to him. So, I will just ask you four questions, and with each question, I will tell you how to court Snowdrop."

"Alright, I'm ready."

"Good. First...where did you fall in love with him at."

"Here, actually."

"Okay, second question. When did you fall in love with him? Or rather...when did you know you were in love with him?"

"As in time of day?"

"Exactly."

"Okay...it was two full moons and the stars were incredibly bright."

"Okay, third question. What little things that no one would likely notice do you love about him?"

"I love the way his nose twitches when he laughs. I love the way that he smiles every time the wind naturally rushes through his fur. I love the way he checks every flower in the garden to make sure they're healthy and happy. I love the way his eyes light up when he talks about you. I love the way that he let's me babble on for hours, or sometimes just sit there and say nothing at all, and he'll still have a ready and listening ear. I love how even in sparring matches, he still focuses on everything around him as if one little thing could change the match. I love the way that he'll let me lean up against him while I read."

"Wow...that's a lot, and I'm sure there's more. Okay...Fourth Question. Why do you love him?"

"Because he's kind, funny, intelligent, fierce, sarcastic, brash, patient, witty, and chivalrous. He's wonderful to my family and the kits I see playing in the fields, he's filled with so much joy it's contagious, and I know that even if I'm just sitting there in silence reading...I'm going to have fun with him."

"Good, very good. Now, Fifth and final question. How did ya find out you were in love with him?"

"I found I was in love with him when we were looking up at the stars while you were gone with my Father, and we were talking about our favorite things, similarities, hobbies, and just...we actually got to know each other, and the more he talked, the more that I realized that I had fallen in love with him long before the conversation...but it was then that I realized everything, and I wanted to ask you almost immediately what I needed to do to...start courting him."

"All very good answers."

"Thanks, but you told me with my questions you would tell me how to court him."

"And I will...now. So...due to your fifth question, you need to pick three things that he likes and give them to him somehow."

"Oh! He said he wanted more snowdrops in his room and some other flowers that could stand the cold. He also said that while you were away he started having trouble cooking for himself, so I could teach him how to cook or I could cook him a meal...his birthday is coming up soon. Oh! He also wanted to have a picnic here, because it's his favorite spot."

"That's perfect, and if you're not completely opposed to it, I can teach you more Nature magic than you already know. With how intelligent you are and the amount of hidden power I know you possess, you should be able to grasp Pookan Nature Magic without any problems. That way, ya can create all kinds of things from Nature and ya can make them stay without having to focus on them...like putting snowdrops in Snowdrop's room."

"I would love that! Thank you!"

"Good, we'll get started after this conversation. Now...for your Fourth question...as you're courting him, you have to tell him when you notice him showing those personality traits. Just mention it like 'Ha, you're so funny.' If not that, then something similar, but only do it when you notice it, and don't try to put to much thought into it...just basically...speak your mind."

"Okay...I can do that."

"Good, now, for your third question. Let him know that you notice those little things. If I were you I would start with his nose twitching. When you see it, bring it up and ask him if he knows he does that."

"Oh, I can definitely do that." She laughed lightly.

"Alright, now, the second question. When you do finish the courting, and you fully confront him and admit to courting him, you will have to wait until the next two full moons and tell him your feelings. Now, once you tell him your feelings, he will more than likely be a bit alarmed, just because it's Snow, and he doesn't think he deserves much more happiness than he's already got...but he really does...anyway, he'll likely tell you about being bound to him, and he won't want to do that to you, but you have to tell him that you are. Finally, your first question. You'll have to finish the final step to courting here. The final step to courting him, as I've mentioned, will have to be when you confess your feelings and basically your intentions."

"I can do that! I'll come by every day for lessons!"

"Yes, that'll be good, but both unfortunately and fortunately...the next double full moon is in a month. I'll explain to Koz what's going on. That way he'll let me teach ya."

"Thank you, Aster!"

"You're very welcome, Emily." At Aster's words, t he vision shifted to a memory that Emily showed me, but the rest didn't know.

It skipped a good portion of the conversation, but where the memory did land was when Emily was getting very nervous and was blushing a great deal. I stepped forward with a knowing grin. "By the stars, Emily...I've never seen you so nervous and anxious. What is it that you want to tell me that could have you this flustered?"

Her head shot up and the blush was even more powerful. "I-I wanted to tell you...that I..."

"Wait a minute..." Memory me smirked.

"What is it?" Emily questioned nervously.

"The flowers, the outings, the meal you made me for my birthday, and now you called me out here...are you..." Memory me shot his eyes wide open and he staggered back quite a bit with a surprised expression. "...are you...have you...been trying to court me?" At my question, I looked over at current Aster to see how he would react, and he had a smug grin on his face and his eyes shone with something similar to pride.

Emily stepped back at least three steps, and looked to the grass beneath her feet as she slowly nodded her head. "I...well...yes. I have been trying to court you."

"But...why?" I asked as I scratched my head with my paw. "I mean...we're two different species, Emily. Why would you...!?" Before I could finish, Emily pressed her lips to mine, but I didn't kiss her back. "Y-You u-um...I..." I breathed out, and had to use the tree for support as I stared at her in shock. "Y-You're...THE princess though...I...you...I mean...oh..." I rested on my haunches until I couldn't even do that anymore, and I just laid on my back against the cool grass, looking up at the stars.

"D-Do you not feel the same?"

"Oh, but you see...that's the thing..." I let out a wry laugh as I placed my arm over my eyes. "...I do" I got up from where I was laying and walked towards her with a nervous expression of my own. "I've loved you for a long time...and the thing about Pooka...we don't really judge on race, species, or anything like that, but Emily...you're the Princess of the UNIVERSE! Kozmotis Pitchiner is your Father! You could have anyone you want! You could love, lose, and love again! P-Pooka...we can't. Once we love someone...it's for eternity. Even if we're reincarnated, we still love them. It's a love that transcends time, Emily, and...i-if you...and I...I already love you more than I ever thought possible, but if I...If I kiss you or even kiss you back...because you're human, you won't be limited to eternity, but you won't be able to love anyone else for at least a million years, then if you somehow still love me after a million years...the million year cycle will start over, and you won't be able to love anyone else for a million more years. You know that...don't you?"

"Yes, I am well aware." Emily smiled at memory me with determined and hopeful eyes, and I took the chance to look at my children's reaction. They were all gaping with widened eyes, but they were also happy, and although I always love it when my children are happy, I couldn't understand why they were looking like that at the moment.

'Tooth, can you pause the memory?' I asked Tooth with a wide smile.

'Sure.' She told me with a wave of her hand, pausing the memory.

'Thank you. So, children...can I ask why you're gaping with wide eyes and happy faces?'

'Father, how old is Uncle Aster?' Eira asked with a knowing grin replacing her gaping happy shock.

'Around eight billion years old...why?'

'Right...and how much younger are you than him?'

'Well, actually, the same age distance Sandy had with his older brother. Sandy was twelve years younger than Kozmotis who later turned into Pitch Black...and I'm the same. I'm twelve years younger than Aster, but that's not uncommon for Pooka.'

'Okay, and you do remember what was just said about the million year cycle?' Nimbus questioned carefully.

'Yeah?' I asked with a risen brow.

'Father!' Abungu chuckled low. 'Mother has loved you ever since and has never stopped loving you.'

My eyes widened, and my heart started pounding against my chest as it finally set in what they were saying, and I couldn't believe I didn't realize it before. 'E-Emily?' I asked her, and she looked at me with a loving smile.

'I never stopped loving you...like I said.'

'Emily...this was over eight billion years ago!'

'I know, and I still never stopped loving you. Even when I thought you had died, I still loved you, and hoped that I would see your reincarnation someday. I just never thought it would be as a spirit I was to look after, or rather...a spirit that has looked after me and my children. I love you so very much, Snowdrop.'

I smiled with small tears falling from my face as I walked over to her. Once I was standing in front of her I kissed her lightly before holding her in a tight embrace. 'I love you too. So very much, Emily.' I gave her another kiss, and stepped a little bit away as she grinned at me with loving eyes. I then turned to face Tooth, and took in her silent look of 'Awe!' and I chuckled lightly. 'Tooth, can you please continue the memory?'

'Of course!' She squealed in delight as she waved her hand, continuing the memory.

"Y-You...you know..." Memory me staggered back a bit more and stared at Emily with pure love and astonishment at the same time. "B-By all the stars in the sky...why would you choose me? I thought...I thought you liked Aster!"

"WHAT!?" She laughed out and was soon doubled over laughing. "Oh my...what ever gave you that idea!?"

"B-Because...for the past month or so I've seen you talking to him a lot more when he wasn't among the stars with Sandy, and I've seen you go in and out of his burrow room."

"I was learning from him. I asked him about courting Pooka, and at first he was extremely surprised that I wanted to know that, so I told him why, and I thought he was going to faint, but he was the only one I could go to, because your parents aren't around anymore. He gave me his blessing and taught me what to do. He even taught me some extra nature magic."

"I..." Memory me swallowed another lump in his throat as he walked closer to Emily. "...you..." He let out a heavy sigh and looked to the grass beneath him, and I couldn't help but step closer to the memory. "...Like I said...if I die...and I'm reincarnated...my reincarnation will love you as I do until they die, and then it'll repeat...I won't know you, not fully, and you...you won't know me if we should meet again...and the chance of that happening...well...it would take a miracle. You wouldn't love anyone else for at least a million years. A-Are you sure y-you want to do this...with me? All it takes is one kiss directly from me onto your lips and our bond will be made."

"I'm sure, Snowdrop."

"Wh-What about your Father?"

"I told him, and he said he was happy for me, and that he knew you to be a good Pooka."

"General Kozmotis said that? About me?"

"Yes. Now, are you gonna kiss me or not?"

Not needing to be told again, I reached forward, and wrapped my right arm around her, and placed my other hand on her face, and I gave her deep and passionate kiss. As soon as our lips met, we both glowed brightly. The kiss didn't end until the glowing did, but when it did, we pulled apart and we were both breathing heavily. "W-We are bound for...eternity now. Well, I am to you, and have been since I found out I was in love with you, but you...you're bound to me for at least a million years now."

"And I won't ever regret it." Soon everything faded to white.