So far with the one shots I've been trying to keep it in rough chronological order. I've now realised I can't do that, so I will have Jackie's age at the beginning of the one shot so you know when it takes place.
Coming up is a series of one shots around the events of ROTG and HOG was doing during it, obviously this happens before HOG, but I might as well keep my word and say that Jackie is 13 when this occurs.
Oh, and thanks to A Yuugi x Yami for following and favouriting!
In Rome Samson Tramarco was walking from work when he noticed that the people around him were staring at the sky.
He stopped and followed their gaze with his blue eyes into the evening sky. Above him shone the Northern Lights.
Whilst the people around him stared in awe, Samson felt dread. The Northern Lights this far south could only mean that there was something happening with the Guardians, and if Pitch was involved...
Samson picked up the pace, walking between people who were still pointing and staring up at the sky. Alexander was most likely collecting the Head's now, so now Samson's main goal now was to get off the streets.
Claire Evans was also on her way home when the lights made their presence known, shining through the lights of the city of Cape Town. Her wings twitched beneath her coat as people stopped and stared. She was desperate to fly home as quickly as possible, but knew that she'd have to be cautious than that.
Instead of walking she held her arm out to catch a passing bus, hopped aboard and settled herself down for the ride, ignoring the lights and her twitching wings.
Jason Morris was out his eating his lunch when people started freaking out about the lights.
He was having his lunch on a bench by a park, enjoying the warm spring sunshine, when somebody's amazed shout drew his gaze upwards.
Even the light of the day couldn't diminish their brilliance as the lights danced across the sky, but their brilliance did nothing to ease the sudden worry in Jason's stomach.
He packed up his lunch, called work to make his excuses, and went home to wait for Alexander, who was undoubtedly making his way to their locations at this very moment.
Alexander Banks' morning had not gotten to a good start, having over cooked his eggs when the lights showed up.
Half remembered protocol dashed through his mind with the speed of a Concorde, the other Heads were expecting him to get Tunnels to them, then they would meet at Claire's house. Which had most of the files stored within it.
Alexander begrudgingly scraped the burnt eggs out of the frying pan and into the bin, mourning his lost breakfast.
As it was Good Friday here, no one was expecting him at work, so Alexander moved outside, tapped his foot twice against the ground and hopped down into the Tunnel. Hoping that he didn't bump into his furry ancestor on the way.
Claire was waiting impatiently in her living room for the other Head's to arrive. She had only just gotten back herself, but it didn't stop her from being twitchy. Well, twitchy by her standards, which meant that her wings were shifting slightly. Something big was going on, and they had to be ready.
Finally a human sized hole appeared in the middle of her floor, and out popped Samson, Jason and last a panting Alexander.
Claire stood up to greet her guests and got them seated, handing out hot drinks. Once everyone was sorted they down to business.
"So." Started Jason, "Everyone saw the lights?"
"Couldn't exactly miss 'em." Said Alexander, sipping his coffee.
"They'll be all over the news tomorrow no doubt." Said Claire.
"Yes, that is true, but the question is, what should we do?" Asked Jason, gazing around the room.
"Something is happening." Said Samson, "The Guardians would not gather for no reason."
"Agreed, something's up their end." Said Alexander.
"And if trouble comes to the Guardians, trouble will come to us well." Said Claire.
"Yeah, we know, but the only issues we've ever had have been with the Descendants of Pitch, and they haven't been a serious threat in centuries." Argued Alexander. "Sure we've had a few skirmishes, but only with single Branches, they wouldn't attack all of us!"
"Just because they haven't been a threat for a while doesn't mean they will remain so." Countered Jason. "We may have to prepare for the worst."
"But what would that worst be?" Asked Samson.
"Worst case scenario could be an all out attack." said Jason, "But we don't know if that will happen, or if they even have the resources to do such a thing."
"We don't know much about them in general." Said Alexander. "We know their powers, we know about contamination and we know that they don't take kindly to traitors. That's about it."
"We don't know numbers or locations." Continued Claire, "All of which would be vital information if they did attack."
"And how would we get that information? Grab a Descendant of Pitch and ask them nicely?" said Alexander disbelievingly.
"Let us not despair over information we do not have." Said Samson, "instead, concentrate on what we should do."
"Samson's right." Said Claire, leaning forward in her chair. "We don't know how much time we have."
"Do we have enough time to get all of the Branches together?" Asked Alexander.
"That's something we can't know." Said Jason with a sigh, leaning back in his chair. "I propose that we alert the Branches and be on our guard."
Samson nodded in agreement while Claire and Alexander thought.
"There's not much else we can really do is there?" asked Alexander with a sigh, running his hand through his dark curly hair, which he hadn't had time to brush this morning.
"So, we'll send out word to the Branches?" Claire looked at her fellow Heads to confirm the decision.
"I agree." Said Alexander.
Samson nodded. "I also agree."
Jason clapped his hands together, "Well, let's grab the Branch list and sort out which ones each of us will contact."
All four of them had a copy of this list and Claire disappeared to go and get hers.
She went up into the attic of her house and scanned the files shelved against the wall. She found the file from memory and went back to her living room. She placed the file on the coffee table and opened it, spreading out the several sheets of paper contained within it as the other Heads pulled their chairs closer.
Alexander, who was facing the window, noticed something shining through it through his peripheral vision. He looked up to see the moon shining brightly through the window, it's light becoming concentrated on the floor by the window.
It took a few seconds for Alexander to register what was happening and when he did he stood up, startling his fellow Heads.
"Are you alright Alexander?" Asked Claire.
"Just look out of the window." Said Alexander, unsure if what he was seeing was real, and as a Descendant of a Guardian, that was saying something.
Claire looked up while Jason and Samson turned around in their seats, and each of their faces showed varying degrees of surprise and shock.
"The Man in the Moon?" breathed Jason, not quite able to believe his eyes.
Claire's mind had gone into overdrive, trying to remember when the Man in the Moon had last communicated with HOG, but she came up short. This had never happened before.
The quartet stepped around their chairs to get a closer look at the concentrated moonlight. Once they all had a clear view a silhouette appeared in the moonlight.
A staff with a G shaped end appeared and all four of them furrowed their brows. They recognised the staff all right.
"Jack Frost?" asked Claire. "Why would you tell us about Jack Frost?"
The silhouette changed, the G on the staff becoming larger until the remainder of the staff disappeared.
"Jack Frost is a Guardian now?" Spluttered Jason as the meaning clicked. Jack Frost was listed in their files all right, and he did not have the best of reputations. Mischievous and a trouble maker to boot. More concerned about snowball fights than protecting children.
"So, we have to look for Descendants of Jack Frost?" Asked Samson.
"Looks like it." Said Alexander, stroking his chin, feeling the stubble under his chin from not having the chance to shave yet either. "But if a new Guardian's been called in, then something really big is happening."
"Enough to get the Descendants of Pitch to attack en mass?" Asked Claire.
The moonlight faded, having passed on the message it needed to. The Order could handle themselves from here.
"The matter still stands." Said Jason, who had been glaring at the floor where the moon light was. "We should still alert the Branches to the possible danger. We can worry about the Descendants of Jack Frost once this has blown over."