Since I forgot that I hadn't posted the Meeting saga on here yet and posted 'Jackie and Tooth' which takes place after the saga, many of you are probably confused. So, I'll start posting the Meeting saga, which as always, takes place in the main HOG universe, and I'll take down 'Jackie and Tooth, to put up again once the saga's done. Okay? Okay.
The annual meeting takes place on the day when the first Guardians went against Pitch; Ombric, Katherine, Nightlight and North.
To this day we have no idea whether or not this is actually the day it occurred, but it's too much hassle and pretty pointless to change it, so we just do it anyway.
For reference, it's around mid December.
It's a long affair, because while it is a meeting to discuss events of the past year, new Descendants and begin planning for things that may occur in the coming year, it is also a time to catch up.
Historically the Heads become as close to each other as they do with those in their Branch, so a large chunk of the time is spent catching up and swapping stories, to the point where the 'meeting' takes at least twelve hours.
And with the addition of Tracey's pack, you could be sure that the meetings went on even longer.
A lot of construction went on that year in the Records Room, where a new wing had been added for the history of the Descendants of Lupine, which was as rich as our own. They had managed to add to our knowledge of the Descendants of Pitch, as the traditional role of the Descendants of Lupine was observers. Sticking to the shadows and keeping note of everything. The neutral packs still do that, but those who have aligned themselves to either us or their ancestor found that they were no longer able to do so. There were still contacts and messengers between packs though.
All of the stuff I'd gotten from Greg's was in the process of being translated and catalogued. I was now in the process of learning what had already been translated to teach the others, and once either Greg had learnt English or I learned Norwegian, Greg was going to help.
It had only been a couple of months, so naturally, things hadn't gotten far. But, it was progress.
Taboo and I got to the base first for once and went to the Council Chamber to wait. A new chair had been added, so I wasn't technically on the edge anymore, but since Tracey only turned up for the annual meetings, it didn't always count.
The new chair was grey and had a basic fir tree carved into the headpiece. It stood opposite mine, but was next to Alexander's, which he wasn't happy about.
Tracey's symbol was actually new to us. Our symbols were normally similar to those we associated with our ancestor, however Tracey seemed to want to distance herself as much as possible from her ancestor. Therefore, Lupine's symbol was a pawprint, Tracey's pack was a fir tree.
I leaned back on the cushioned seat and put my feet on the table with a yawn. No one else was here and I hadn't slept well the night before.
"Don't get too comfy. You don't want to get on Jason's bad side again."
I groaned and cracked open an eyelid at the small version of Taboo standing by my feet. I hated to admit, but she was right, so I slid my feet off the table.
"Spoilsport." I muttered, pulling the hood of my hoodie over my head. Instead of leaning all the way back in my chair to nap I folded my arms and tilted my head downwards.
"Someone didn't get much sleep last night."
My head shot up and to the door where Tracey was, and had walked in without me noticing.
I threw my hood down and tried to put on a smile, which quickly turned into a yawn.
"You're just going to look even more un-professional if you try to cover it up." She commented as she walked over to her chair.
"Who says we're getting paid for this?" I muttered.
"Well if that's why you didn't want to do this..."
I jumped out of skin as Jason entered the room, a mischievous grin looking out of place on his normally serious face.
"What is it with everyone and sneaking up on me today?" I groaned.
"They're not; you're just unobservant."
"And you can can it."
Taboo let out a rumbling laugh and stood up on the table, shaking her 'fur'.
"Jackie, we've talked about this. If Taboo has something to say then can you please pass it on?" Said Jason, raising an eyebrow.
"She just said that I'm being unobservant today."
"You're tired, it happens." Said Tracey calmly.
"If she's tired then it wasn't my fault." Said Samson as he wheeled himself in. Getting struck by lightning twice during what was known as the 'Don't Fear the Reaper' episode had taken its toll on the Descendant of Sandman. The neurological damage along with injuries from the Battle of the Un-dead had resulted in Samson requiring a wheelchair to get around.
His wheelchair was designed by both him and Jason. It looked like a normal electric wheelchair, but it was powered by Samson's own Dreamsand when he wasn't otherwise using it, with electricity as a backup, it could handle going down the Tunnels and Samson could use his sand to customise it further in as many ways as he could think of.
Now all he had to do was shave his head and he'd look like a mini Professor X.
"At least you said something before scaring the living daylights out of us." I muttered as he went over to his spot at the table, using sand to get into his Head chair.
"No, just you." Corrected Tracey as I let out another yawn "And that's what you get for going to bed late."
"Just had a hard time sleeping, that's all." I protested.
"Why?" Asked Samson. Of course he was curious, sleep was his specialty.
"I dunno, just couldn't drop off."
"This is only your second annual meeting, nervous?"
I made a noise that could be identified as either yes or f off.
"Somebody's grouchy." Observed Alexander, taking his place next to Tracey.
"Somebody didn't get enough sleep." Said Tracey.
"What is this? 'Everyone pick on Jackie day'?" I protested.
"No, we just find your lack of sleep humorous." Said Samson.
"Hilarious."
"Oh stop it, we've got a meeting to get underway." Chided Claire as she hovered in.
"Thank you!" I said, throwing up my arms.
"Now we know she's tired, she wants to get a meeting underway."
"Enough Alexander." Said Claire with a sigh.
"Yes, right, to business." Said Jason clearing his throat, and such the first meeting with Tracey got underway.
"Oi, wake up!"
"Wha...?"
I lifted my head off the table and looked blearily at the other five around the table.
"You fell asleep." Taboo informed me.
"Ah." Sitting next to Samson had not been a good idea. At least it had prevented my re-occurring nightmares.
"Ah, indeed."
"Well, now that Jackie is back with us, care to tell us about recruitment with the Descendants of Jack Frost?" Asked Jason, not amused in the slightest.
I sat up properly and tried to ignore the line of dribble that was on my chin as I spoke.
"Well, um. We've gained a couple over the past year. One from Canada and one from Scotland. I think the one from Scotland is Alfred's great granddaughter."
"You think? As Head you need to confirm this!" Cried Jason, and I groaned mentally as he began anther lecture.
"Because your group of Descendants are so new we need to keep track of family lines so that we can predict when you'll pop up and we get in there before anything bad happens. There have too many mistakes in the past and the last thing we want is more members with severe mental scars over their abilities!"
"I know, I'm just tired. I'll chase it up when the meeting's over." I countered, not really feeling up to a shouting match this time.
Jason opened his mouth, presumable to respond to me, then closed it, confused.
"Did Jackie just retaliate to Jason calmly?" Asked Alexander, not quite able to believe it.
Tracey looked between the pair of us. "I guess that you two don't really get along."
"They don't" answered Claire, "They often have shouting matches."
"I'm too tired and Jason does have a good, if waffley, point." I said, feeling a little more awake.
They were still staring.
"What? Believe it or not, I don't get any kind of enjoyment out of arguing with Jason."
After a few more seconds of almost disbelieving silence, Tracey coughed.
"Anyway, isn't there anything anyone wants to say?" She prompted.
"Ah, yes." Jason recovered himself.
"I have been thinking. Over the past few years, we've had more contact from our ancestors than any other time in our history. So I'd like to propose that we, officially, open more channels with them."
I blinked in surprise, suddenly feeling more awake. Jason, Jason Morris, the man who firmly stood by protocol, was suggesting that we become friendlier with the Guardians.
"...You're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting... Are you?"
"We better not go down the same route as the Descendants of Pitch." Said Alexander, folding his arms. "They're like his personal army."
"I am not saying that we go down that route." Defended Jason. "What I'm saying is that we become more affiliated with them, so we can let each other know more easily if things are going to affect both sides, that kind of thing."
Samson tapped his chin thoughtfully. "We will have to consider how exactly very carefully, but I agree that we should do this."
"I'm all for it." I said, leaning back in my chair.
"Of course you are, you know them personally." Said Jason, with a hint of disapproval.
"I'm too tired to argue with you" I said before looking at the others. "So, what do you guys say?"
Claire considered. "As Samson said, we'll have to think about this in greater detail, but at the moment, I think it's a good idea."
"I'm in as well." Said Alexander.
"Well, they aren't my ancestors, but as long as you don't go the same route as some of my fellow Descendants, I don't see why not." Said Tracey, her arms folded.
"Well then, Jackie if you could bring it up with Jack Frost next time you see him. I know you that you see him every now and again." Said Jason, his eyebrows slightly raised in a disapproving manner.
"Sure, I'll tell him." I said, trying not to yawn.
"I think we'd better end the meeting there." Said Alexander. "Otherwise one of us is going to have to carry Jackie to the Sleeping Quarters."
"Ha ha." I said, and Taboo laughed as well, in her growling, rumbling way.
"What was that?" Asked Tracey, suddenly looking ready to bolt.
"That was Taboo. Laughing."
"At least someone thinks I'm funny." Said Alexander with a grin.
"Don't push it Banks."
"Alright, meeting over." Said Samson, moving to his wheelchair. "I do not wish to be around when Jackie gets too grumpy."
"Did you forget we're having a party?" Asked Claire and Samson shook his head.
"No, I would just like to retrieve the rest of the drinks."
I groaned. I hadn't brought anything, and looking at Tracey, neither had she.
"We'll let you two off, this time." Said Jason with an amused smile, "Just don't forget next time."
I nodded in confirmation and headed to the Sleeping Quarters to get some clearly much needed sleep before we went mad.
We Heads rarely get the chance to let our hair down in HOG, and this night was when we finally did. We'd drink, play stupid games, ranging from traditional kids party fare to racing around the Main Cavern. As well as telling stupid stories, why we needed alcohol I didn't know.
I was never one for alcohol, and my parents had never let me try it, so when I did at last year's meeting, things got, interesting. I vowed to never do it again.
Taboo led the way through the Sleeping Quarters, going past the female Descendants of Jack Frost dorms. The Heads had recently carved out their own rooms, which I had objected too at first, but I got out voted.
They were simple to start off with, each room had a door painted the colour of their group of Descendants with the corresponding symbol on the door. An actual door rather than the curtains that separated the rest of the Sleeping Quarters.
Inside the walls and bed sheets were the same colour as the door, with a wardrobe and shelves should we need them. Even Tracey had one, although I wasn't sure if anyone had told her yet.
Over the past year or so I'd been adding a few things to my room. A poster here, an ice figure there, that kind of thing. I figured that if I was going to be staying in here, I'd might as well put some effort in.
All of the things I'd put in it went unnoticed as I collapsed on the bed; I was more tired than I thought.
Damn it Samson.
I woke up to music trickling in from the Main Cavern via my slightly ajar door, and rolled over and pulled the covers around my ears.
Call me a miserable sod, but I wasn't a fan of parties.
I'd been to a few. A lot of Jamie's collage friends wanted to meet me, but once I was there I just sat awkwardly somewhere while they got drunk. Jamie I'd like to point out wasn't among those who got drunk, but he was still more socially adept than me. Therefore, he actually found it hilarious that his friends were doing stupid things.
"They're going to want you in there you know."
I looked down at Taboo and said.
"Whose side are you on?"
"I'm just saying. Poor Tracey's going to have to put up with them on her own."
That was a good point. I groaned and rolled out of the bed, not bothering to sort out my bed head before heading to the Main Cavern.
Looking in, you'd think it was a bunch of teenagers who'd set up camp in the Main Cavern, then you'd see Jason's beard and wonder what on earth was going on.
Tracey was standing a little away from the other four Heads, who were dancing to the music blaring from someone's phone. I didn't recognise the song, but Samson seemed to know it the best, he was mouthing along with it.
Food had been set up on a table nearby, and looking at it I could see the various dishes that the other Heads had brought. Samson was true to his Italian heritage had brought seafood pasta, and given the guy was a professional chef it was guaranteed to be great.
Claire had made some kind of unidentifiable brown soup, Jason some barbecued meats and Alexander had the dessert, and he had rolled with it.
Chocolates of various kinds were dotted across the plate, each in different shapes. I guess Alexander had inherited Bunnymund's affinity with chocolate making.
Deciding to trust Samson's the most I retrieved some pasta and went over to Tracey.
"You know, they get on at me for acting like a kid, but they're just as bad." I said, nodding over to them.
Tracey nodded, her face tense. "Is this what normal people do for fun?"
"Sadly, yes."
"I'm guessing you're not a fan of it?"
"Nope. Give me a quiet evening with a book or something and I'm happy." I scooped up some of the pasta and blew on it, frosting it over slightly before eating it. This was my method when eating normal temperature food.
I noticed Tracey watching me curiously.
"What?"
"Why did you freeze the food?" She asked, as though it was a waste.
"Can't eat it any other way. It would burn my mouth otherwise." I put another forkful of pasta in my mouth as Tracey considered it.
The song changed to an old rock song, which Jason seemed to know, but both Tracey and Alexander winced at the pounding beats.
"Bit much for your ears?" I asked. We'd learned that shape shifting Descendants of Lupine did indeed have stronger senses of hearing and smell, easily matching the Descendants of Bunnymund.
Tracey nodded, her face starting to screw up slightly.
"Do you know anywhere we go to get some peace and quiet?"
"Well, you can always go to your room here."
"I have a room here?"
I let out a sigh. "Of course they haven't explained it. Follow me."
I led her through the Sleeping Quarters to the grey coloured door next to mine.
"It's more ceremonial, but you can a good night's sleep in them."
Tracey opened the door and stood there for a second, taking it in.
"This is mine?"
"For as long as you need it. Yeah."
I may have been mistaken, but I thought I saw her calm mask slip. Her mouth was hanging open, and for a moment I thought that she was about to cry. Strangely in her open mouth I could see that her canines were longer than normal.
"Are you alright?" I asked. Tracey nodded quickly, a calm mask back on her face.
"Yes. Hadn't you better head back? The others might want to know where you are."
I wasn't fooled but I nodded.
"Okay, see you later."
I walked back to the Main Cavern and stood a little to side, finishing my pasta. The music was starting to do my own ears in, so I decided to move somewhere else too.
I went to the Cavern of the Dead.
My choice could be considered morbid, but I came here when I needed to think, and when I needed some comfort.
My feet took me a familiar, now repaired statue. Penelope stood at the end, with the other war casualties.
I stood by her feet and looked at her face, now I was older, Penelope seemed so young. Way too young to die. It had been over a decade, and I still felt a certain amount of guilt when I thought about her death. I had a feeling it was going to stay with me for even more decades to come.
"Hey." I said, fully aware I was talking to a statue, I do the same thing with Daniel's grave. It was mad, it was illogical, but I didn't care.
"Were the Head's ever like that with you? Sometimes I think they're worse than me."
I smirked and stood there, slowly getting lost in memory lane.
"What are you doing down here?"
I jumped and turned to the entrance, where Alexander was leaning around, his face a little flushed. I groaned mentally, please don't tell me he's cracked open the alcohol. I'd have thought Claire at least would have known better than that.
"Getting a bit of peace."
"Peace? It's a party! Stop being so miserable and get up here!"
"No thanks."
"Come on! Once you relax it'll be fine. Promise. It's not as if you're surrounded by strangers." All of the jokes were gone, Alexander was being serious.
"If I must."
Alexander's face broke into a grin and he ran forward, grabbing my arm and dragging me back upstairs. Dear God he had been at the alcohol.
"Come on then! You won't regret this!"
I already am.
I finally escaped in the small hours, bidding my co-workers goodnight as I all but sprinted for the Departure Cavern.
Each of the Heads were varying degrees of drunk, with Jason easily being the worst. Despite being the second youngest there (Tracey was younger than me) I had to take control and send them to bed, each with a half frozen bucket of water to deal with the hangover.
I went up to the lake with Taboo and sat against a tree, close to exhaustion from having to deal with the other Heads. I wanted nothing more than to go home, but I wasn't sure if either of us would make it tonight.
"When they wake up tomorrow." I said to Taboo, "I don't care how hung over they are, I will freeze them to the floor. Why do people do this to themselves?!"
"It's normal human thing." Rumbled Taboo, "You are not normal and I am not human."
"I'm starting to understand what Nigel told me. Who'd be normal if they do stupid things like that?"
"Stupid things like what?"
I was too tired to jump as Jack hung upside down in front of my face. Even Taboo was too tired to growl.
"Getting drunk."
Jack's raised his eyebrows, which looked odd upside down. "Don't tell me you-?"
"No, I'm just tired trying to make sure the other four Heads didn't hurt themselves."
"The Heads were drunk?"
"Sadly, yes." I groaned and leaned my head against the tree, covering my eyes with my arm. "I have seen things I will never unsee."
"So that's why you're here at five AM, and disturbing my sleep."
I winced and lowered my arm. "Sorry."
Jack waved away my concern, slipping off the branch and landing smoothly in front of me. In a tired tangent of thought I thought that Jack could easily compete at the Olympics, if he wasn't invisible to most of the population.
"Don't worry about it, you could use it more than me, looking at you."
I murmured an agreement, and yawned.
Jack leaned on his staff and peered at me and Taboo. "You two aren't going to make it back to your flat, are you?"
"I doubt it." I said, stifling a yawn. "Not as if the cold's an issue."
Jack chuckled. "True." He looked up at the tree, then back down at us. "You're not even going to make it into the tree are you?"
I only shook my head, feeling it drooping. I could hear Taboo making the soft rumbling noises she made when she went into a sleep like state. Taboo didn't actually sleep, she tended to doze or meditate instead.
I was already slipping into a sleep haze, no matter how hard I was trying to focus on Jack. Before I fell asleep I felt the cool wood of his staff and his neutral arms changing my position into a more comfortable one, and I could feel Taboo's body against mine.
"Sleep tight Icicle."
"...You too Snowman."
I was on the lake.
The trees around it looked smaller, like I'd gone back in time, but that wasn't what I was focusing on. I was focusing on the boy a few metres in front of me. He looked like Jamie, then his face shifted and he looked like Danny, my brother.
"Jackie. I'm cold." He whimpered as the ice around his feet cracked.
"I-It's okay, we'll be alright." I said, then shouted. "HELLO! SOMEBODY, HELP!"
"Jackie." He whimpered, the face shifting between Jamie and Danny. Then the ice cracked and he fell through.
"NO!" I screamed, running forward frustratingly slowly, my powers strengthening the ice beneath my feet.
I reached the area where Jamie/Danny had fallen through and reached my hand in grab him, but as soon as my hand touched the water it began to freeze.
"No! Not now please!" I begged, but the ice paid no heed.
I could see his face through the ice, and it kept switching between Jamie, Danny, and finally Jack, his spirit and human form. Each one of them begging for air, to live, and all I was doing was sealing their doom.
"No, please. Just stop freezing! STOP!"
I woke up to Jack shaking me.
"Jackie! Jackie wake up!"
I shot bolt upright and let out wordless scream, still partially in the dream.
My eyes darted around the lake and I felt myself relax. Everything was fine. I started shaking again as I remembered the nightmare, I just had a nightmare about how Jack died, something I never thought would happen.
Jack was kneeling in front of my face, almost uncomfortably close.
"Oh thank goodness." He gasped, the panicked look in his bright blue eyes fading. "You were thrashing around and screaming."
He calmed down as I got my breath back, and then he shot me an accusing look.
"I thought you said that you weren't getting nightmares anymore."
I shifted uncomfortably. "You know I hate people worrying Jack."
"No wonder you've got such dark shadows under your eyes!" Jack sprung to his feet, looking at the morning sky. "Maybe I should go find Sandy..."
"No!" I cried, a little louder and more desperate than I intended. Jack looked at me and I backtracked.
"It's not that big of an issue, and Sandman has to handle the dreams of thousands of kids. I don't want to add to that."
"Jackie." Said Jack warningly. "Be honest; how many nightmares have you been getting?"
I wanted to lie, I really did, but Jack had perfected the method of looking like you couldn't lie to him. I bet he picked that up from North.
"Most nights." I admitted. "It's not as bad as it was."
"That's still bad. The more I look at you the more I see a panda."
I chuckled and shook my head. "Jack, don't worry about me-."
"I do though. It's been a long time since you were a kid, and I know you can handle yourself." Jack shrugged to himself, before giving me a bright smile. "But you're my friend."
I felt my own face smile at that. No matter how much you take friendship for granted, just someone saying it always made my heart soar.
Taboo rumbled awake, reminding me of what the other Heads had asked.
"Oh! Um, in the meeting, Jason, of all people, came up with a proposal."
"Oh yeah?" I could tell Jack wasn't all that interested, but was trying for my sake to not stay focused on the nightmares.
"We came to the agreement that we, the Heads, should open more communications with the Guardians."
I continued as Jack's jaw dropped, a grin appearing on my face.
"That way if something came up, because our conflicts often, although not always, mirror each other, we can work together to find the problem, and then work it out in our own way."
"And Jason came up with this?" Asked Jack, almost disbelievingly, "Mr 'Don't get involved with the Guardians because of protocol'? That Jason?"
"The very one. I got asked to pass it on, since I'm the most likely to see one of you." I levered myself to my feet, feeling some of my joints popping.
Jack put his hand to his chin, looking like he was thinking. "I'll pass it on to North. Do you reckon we should have joint meetings as well?"
Jack was completely serious now, so I just shrugged. "Possibly, I wouldn't say every meeting should be joint, but say, a few times a year."
"On the solstices?" Asked Jack with a grin, knowing that the sole mention of the 's' word was enough to make me prickle with annoyance.
"If we must."
Jack jumped to the top of his staff. "I'll tell North about it later. Today I wanted to spend the snow day with you guys."
I grinned, knowing that he meant the whole gang who was in town, which sometimes involved my Branch.
"I'll let them know you're here, just let me get changed, and have a shower."
Jack sniffed and wrinkled his nose. "Good idea, see you back here in a couple of hours?"
"Sure."