Hey guys, welcome back to the next chapter of Running for Life!
I don't know how many of you know this, but earlier this week, Fanfiction was having a sort of review glitch. Luckily it's fixed now, but it was a bug that didn't let you see your most recent reviews through anything other than the notification emails, and I was getting kind of worried, considering I think one or two slipped through the email radar! Thankfully though, we're all good now.
So! You know the drill! Huge thanks to Serami Nefera (I agree :) It's one of the reasons why I love Jack so much!), Brenne, Nekohime1 (Oh wow, I wish you luck!), laurcuna, Randomly Talented (Haha, Jack was just a little stressed out at that moment, but don't worry, he will apologize! And is that so? *shifty eyes; shuffles notes*), Guest, MagicWarriorDragon, BooksAreMedicine (WHOA many much reviews! Okay, I officially love you, and I'm glad you like what I've been doing here! :D), and OverlyObsessed223! 125 reviews...once again you guys are literally the best ever!
That being said, let's get on with the chapter! It's a little shorter than usual, but don't worry; it's important all the same. ;)
Chapter 14: An Answer
Six.
Six years since the fire.
Six years since the desecration of his family, his home, his life.
Six years since he started running.
He was seventeen now, and had long cast away the last of his childish innocence. He knew that he needed to be as cold as the ice he thrived in if he was going to survive.
"Why am I trying to survive?" he said aloud once, speaking to his snowy-white equine companion. "What's the point of all this? Why am I even here?"
Of course, the horse could offer no answers.
He pondered his own question whenever he got a chance, but couldn't come up with a solid answer. Perhaps he was simply displaying the age-old mortal fear of death? Did some foolish part of him still believe that one day, everything would be alright? Or could it be that maybe-just maybe-a small voice in the back of his mind was telling him that he was meant for more; destined for more.
He shook his head.
"I really am a fool, aren't I, Zeph?" he murmured, absently stroking his horse's mane as he rode.
Soon, the duo came across a small village in Southern Iskald.
He dismounted.
He put down his staff.
He pulled up his hood.
"Might as well try to find a place to stay for the night…" he whispered to himself.
He entered the town.
()()()()
Laura's home was clearly a wealthy one, but Jack found himself unable to consider it gaudy. Everything about the place was rather streamlined and carefully thought out, in great contrast to Laura's apparent all-over-the-place personality. The house was mainly a subtle off-white color, with a sloping chestnut roof and cream-colored curtains blocking the windows from the inside. To Jack's surprise, despite the snow that blanketed the ground, bushes of translucent blue flowers could be clearly seen growing plentifully along the sides of the building.
"They're called ice lilies," the yet-to-be-named blonde girl explained politely upon noticing the direction of his gaze. "They thrive in winter weather."
Jack was well aware of this.
I thought only snow sprites knew ice lilies existed, Jack thought as, after tethering Zephyr, Petrov, and Sandy's horse of unknown name to the front gate, he and the Guardians were ushered inside. How did a human family get ahold of some?
However, he didn't ponder this for long, as the effort needed to do so was immediately redirected to concentrating on not letting his mouth fall open at the sight of the house's interior.
Though he had seen grandeur before, at the Tsar's palace, this was the first time he could safely say that wealthy surroundings looked sufficiently lived in. For instance, the expensive cushions on the sofa were cock-eyed, as though someone had not thought to fix them after awakening from a long nap, and the carpet, while beautiful, looked somewhat worn-down by the constant activity of the residents of the home.
Jack decidedly much preferred this to the stark, sterile atmosphere that Tsar Lunar surrounded himself with.
"I ah, I hope things aren't too disorderly for you," Laura said quickly, adjusting the cushions and smiling nervously at the Guardians. "I...wasn't expecting company, obviously."
"It's alright," Toothiana said kindly. "We don't mind at all. In fact, your home is beautiful!"
Laura blushed. "I can safely say that I never thought a Guardian of Childhood would compliment my house!" she laughed.
Suddenly, she jumped. "Oh!" Laura exclaimed. "I'm so sorry; I didn't even introduce myself!" She cleared her throat and gestured to herself. "My name is Laura Thener. And...well, I believe you've met my niece and nephew, right? Jamie and Sophie Bennett?"
Aster gave a short nod. "Yeah sheila, we've met," he said, his tone somewhat stiff due to the fact that Sophie had once again latched herself onto his left leg, giggling excitedly.
Laura laughed sheepishly while Jamie gently pried his sister away from the Pooka. "Sorry," she apologized. "You've um, always been her favorite." She sighed. "These two are just visiting for a couple of weeks. It's a shame that this had to happen only a few days in…" Cutting herself off before she could stray from the original direction of the conversation, the woman cleared her throat and continued. "Anyway-" She gestured to the blonde girl first, then the brunette. "-these are my daughters, Elizabeth and Olivia."
Jack would be lying if he said he didn't tense at the second name.
'Tis just a name, Jack, he thought, taking a breath. Just a name.
"I'm adopted," Olivia whispered timidly, speaking for the first time, but barely daring to make herself heard. Elizabeth wore a slight, concerned frown, but nodded politely at the Guardians all the same.
"Ah...yes," Laura said, looking sad. "Olivia here's only been with us about a month, and is having a little bit of trouble adjusting…" The woman abruptly shook her head, cutting herself off once more and giving a small, strained smile in the Guardians' direction. "But I'm going off-topic. You wanted to know about the Nightmares, right?"
Toothiana nodded. "Anything you know you be helpful to us," she said in a formal tone, though the compassion for the shy brunette was clear in her magenta eyes. "We need to know if Pitch himself was here, or if he sent the Nightmares to act on their own, or under some kind of general of sorts."
All eyes turned to Olivia, who, as they had apparently all noticed, had been the one to alert Elizabeth and Laura that she had seen something of note. In spite of himself, Jack felt his heart go out to her as she trembled and stuttered under nine heavy gazes.
I used to be like that, six years ago, Jack thought, tactfully lowering his eyes to the ground in order to provide her with as much respite as he could. And even still, I don't like being the center of attention.
"N-Next to the p-portal in the middle of town…" Olivia finally whispered softly, the sheer silence in the room allowing her shaking voice to be heard. "I...I saw a woman...talking to the shadows…"
No one spoke.
The brunette girl sucked in a rattling breath and continued. "She...I...I don't kn-know if the N-Nightmare King was there...b-but I think sh-she was called...um...Onyx…" She flushed a bright red. "A-At least that's w-what I heard…"
Jack frowned. He clearly saw the girl's distress, and, for some reason, wanted nothing more than to step forward and comfort her.
But what would I say? he thought, chewing his lower lip anxiously. This isn't my place to speak...I'm not a real Guardian, after all, no matter what the others say. I understand how she feels, but…
His thoughts trailed off as he glanced over at the Guardians. The four of them were glancing at each other uncertainly, clearing having heard no earlier mention of this "Onyx" character. She must have been either a new addition or a secret operative, as Jack had never heard the name before either.
Strange, the stories always say that the Nightmare King works alone, save for the Nightmares themselves, Jack thought, a slight frown on his lips. Unless "Onyx" is a Nightmare in disguise, which is impossible, that means no one knows about her. Which, by extent, makes her that much more dangerous.
"Can you tell us what she looked like?" Tooth asked gently, apparently being the best candidate for talking to the girl, as, in appearance, she was the least intimidating Guardian that could communicate verbally.
The thought that the Guardians of Childhood weren't capable of conversing with children almost made Jack laugh out loud, but he held off due to the serious nature of the conversation.
"She-She had black hair…" Olivia was stammering. "A-And y-yellow eyes…" That was all she could choke out before she let out a small yelp, falling to her knees, wrapping her arms around herself, and shuddering violently.
Jack found his mouth twisting into a deep frown of concern. What about this woman disturbs her so much…? he silently asked himself. 'Tis one thing to be afraid of the Nightmare King, but this seems like more than simple fear…
"It's okay, Olivia," Laura said gently, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. It was immediately shrugged off. Laura sighed, and continued with, "You don't have to say anything more."
Tooth nodded in agreement, sadness and pity in her eyes. "Thank you for your help, Olivia," she said softly, careful to not upset the girl any more.
Jamie stepped in, nodding at his aunt. "C'mon Olivia, let's go back to your room, okay?" he said, letting his hand hover inches away from her back as he started to lead her away from the others. After a second's thought, he turned back to the Guardians, a hopeful look in his eyes.
"She, um," he began cautiously. "She could use a little...encouragement, or something...w-would it be too much to ask for one of you to come with us…?"
The Guardians shared uneasy glances. Jack directed his gaze to them, sensing that they wanted to stay together in order to possibly question the other occupants of the room, then formulate a plan of action to keep the town safe if another Nightmare attack was to occur in their absence. True, he could tell that they all wanted to go with the girl, but that they weren't sure what they could do for her.
Jack rolled his eyes, drawing his cloak around himself and crossing his arms beneath it. Some Guardians you four are, he thought, not for the first time.
"Please?" he heard Jamie's soft voice say hesitantly. Upon looking over, he could see the hope drain from the boy's chocolate brown eyes. The hidden tips of the sprite's ears drooped, and he exhaled silently.
He wasn't sure what made him do it, but in a matter of mere milliseconds, Jack found himself stepping forward and saying, "They'll be busy, but they can spare me. I'll come."
The looks on the Guardians' faces instantly made him regret his decision.
It wasn't that they stared at him in disgust, or gaped at him in shock; quite the opposite in fact. The bright smiles on their faces-except Aster's, of course-indicated their excitement at the winter boy's apparent decision to "accept his destiny as a Guardian", or something along those lines.
"You will!?" Jamie exclaimed happily. Jack smiled weakly and nodded, fully aware of the fact that the younger boy would most likely also take this as an opportunity to practically interrogate him once again.
At least I won't be riding a horse this time, so it shouldn't be too bad, Jack mentally admitted.
However, Aster almost immediately cut in, a frown on his face. "Oi," he said gruffly. "The kid's not even a real Guardian, I don't think sendin' him would be-"
"He saved my niece and nephew," Laura interjected firmly. She gave Jack a kind smile, which Jack could safely say startled him. "I trust him."
The boy swallowed and nodded, inwardly scoffing at her quickness to trust. "Thank you, miss," he said, polite despite his thoughts, and deciding that Laura wasn't quite old enough to be called "ma'am". With a nod and a hidden scowl, both of which were directed at the Guardians, he quickly moved to follow Jamie, who had already continued leading Olivia away.
Jack let out a breath he didn't know he was holding the moment the trio exited the room. Though he would've preferred to be alone, with only Zephyr for company, he was admittedly more at ease with two other people rather than nine.
They walked in what would have been silence if not for Olivia's occasional fearful whimpers, Jamie showing a surprising amount of self-control compared to his earlier barrage of questions. Jack couldn't help but hope that he hadn't dampened the younger boy's spirits with his coarseness earlier. He hadn't meant to be cruel; his frustration in the stressful situation had simply gotten the better of him.
As they moved through the halls, Jack tried not to stare too much. The walls and curtains were all neutral colors; nothing too loud or obnoxiously flamboyant, and there were simple decorations like paintings and flowers instead of expensive-looking statues or jeweled mirrors. Jack could tell that Laura Thener was wealthy, but subtly so.
Interesting, Jack thought, glancing around at his surroundings. I didn't think there were any upper-class people that didn't flaunt their riches in extravagant ways. Of course, I wouldn't know. 'Tis not like I frequently tour the homes of the wealthy.
They reached the room Jack figured was Olivia's relatively quickly. The room had the same gentle, calming effect that the rest of the building did, but Jack wasn't paying attention to it. He watched as Jamie had the girl sit down on her bed, murmuring to her as her whimpers faded into soft sniffles. For some reason, his heart felt heavy at the sight of her, as though her pain was his own.
"She gets like this sometimes," Jamie whispered in Jack's ear once he had returned to the older boy's side. "We don't know what exactly triggers it, and why it even happens…" Jamie sighed slightly, chestnut eyes dull and downcast. "Something bad must've happened to her in the past, huh?"
"...you're perceptive, kid," Jack whispered back, after a moment's pause. Keeping his voice low enough so that the distressed girl wouldn't be able to hear it, he added, "Don't try to press her for information, though. It'll only scare her away."
Jamie nodded silently in understanding, and Jack let out a silent breath. Good job, Jack, you actually managed to give a piece of good advice to someone.
"Sorry about all the questions earlier, by the way," Jamie added, fiddling awkwardly with the sleeve of his beige shirt. "I was just...you know, curious."
Jack blinked, dark eyebrows disappearing up behind his bangs. For a brief second, he was quiet. Then, he replied softly, "'Tis alright." The young snow sprite gave a shrug. "I'm at fault too. I shouldn't have acted so callous about it. I'm sorry."
The younger boy gave a hesitant smile, which was soon replaced with a cheeky grin. "'Tis alright," he echoed quietly, unable to keep the light laughter out of his tone, even considering the circumstances.
Instead of feeling offended by yet another jab at his speaking patterns as a Central Iskaldite, all Jack could do was give a soft chuckle. Despite it all, he found himself taking a liking to the brunette boy.
And to think, if I wasn't in disguise, he would be cowering in terror rather than talking and laughing with me, Jack thought. He quickly pushed these dark thoughts from his mind, choosing to concentrate on the present rather than on the "what if"s he could form from it.
Suddenly, as Jamie opened his mouth to speak once more, Olivia's head abruptly jerked up and she swung it around to face Jack. She stared at him for a long moment, brown eyes nearly boring a hole into his blue ones. Though he shifted uncomfortably, Jack did not look away.
He heard Jamie's voice sound beside him. "Um, Olivi-"
"You have snowflakes in your eyes," the girl suddenly interrupted, speaking steadily for the first time.
Jack subtly stiffened. He knew that if one were to look close enough into a snow sprite's eyes, they'd be able to see snowflake-like patterns in their irises. Another snow sprite could recognize this in a heartbeat, but humans usually tended to not notice unless they were literal inches away.
So then how…?
Olivia let out a high-pitched, strangled sort of sound in the back of her throat as she slid off of the bed and down to her knees. She stared up at him, tears forming in her eyes. Then, she choked out a single word that nearly made Jack's heart stop.
"Jackson…?"
...see you guys next week. ;)
Until then, Sapphire316, out.
(PS:Don'ttrytogetmetochangehernametoEmmaorPippaorsomethingOlivia'smynameforherandit'swhatI'mstickingwithokaybyenow)