Reviews!
AriArlene-Thank you, that's lovely of you to say. I have a feeling that's going to be one to re-read whenever I feel down.
And, story time!
"This isn't working." Said Nigel. "We need a plan."
"Yeah." I replied standing up, "Before someone calls the police."
North stepped up.
"Lupine is afraid of us without Pitch, so we go to him."
"You think Lupine's causing this?" asked Nigel.
"Well, he is there, and manipulating shadows is his thing." Said Bunnymund.
"Wait, so our plan is to go over there and, intimidate him?" asked Jack.
"Exactly, is good plan."
Jack looked over at me, with an incredulous expression on his face. I just shrugged.
Looking at the Burgess Branch I saw them looking at each other, then nodding.
"It's not as if we could stop you." Said Nigel, stepping away from the wall.
The Guardians looked at each other and nodded, then flew or jumped over the wall. We couldn't see what was going on, but there was a loud yelp and Alexander visibly relaxed.
While they were gone I went to retrieve my helmet from the shadows of a house.
The five Guardians came back over and Alexander let the wall collapse, revealing an empty alley way.
"What happened?" asked Billy.
"We arrived and Lupine scarpered." Said Bunnymund simply. And that seemed to be the end of it.
I looked over at Nigel whose thick eyebrows were still matted with sweat.
"You alright old man?" I asked partially jokingly.
Nigel's eyes narrowed, "I'm not old yet young lady." He said, using his swords to make his point.
"Ah, but you're not far off." I teased and Nigel sighed, glancing at Billy and Jack.
"It seems you've been getting lessons in how to be flippant from these two." He said, pointing to the pair of them with his swords. At the same time both Billy and Jack looked away with mock innocence, with Jack whistling and Billy being unable to stop the grin breaking across his face.
"Ah, kiddo doesn't need lessons from me. Kiddo's not a kid anymore." Billy mock sniffed.
I raised an eyebrow and sent a sheet of ice his way, causing him to slip slightly.
"Oh, two can play at that game Frosty!"
"F-Frosty?!" I spluttered, trying not to laugh. "Surely you can come up with something better than that, Skippy."
"How's Icicle?" He responded with a grin.
"Slightly better..."
Any other banter faded from my lips as Billy tensed his legs and I backed off, seeing what was coming.
"Oh boy..."
I continued backing away as Billy leapt an almost impossible height into the air, then came down right on top of me.
My armour clanged from the impact and I was forced to the ground with a yell of surprise by the weight of the Australian now sitting on me. I lost my grip on my helmet and it clattered to the ground, not quite masking the sound of Jack laughing.
"Bloody hell Jackie! Your armour's freezing!" Billy said, "And painful."
"That's what you get for jumping someone in armour that's designed to match the body temperature of someone who's naturally almost freezing. Now let me up!"
"Hmmm, I'll think about it."
I thought for a second.
"Might get frostbite if you sit there too long."
Billy jumped up in a hurry as I sat up, laughing at his sudden desire to get away. He stopped and turned back to me, disbelief on his face.
"You were just messing with me, weren't you?"
"Maybe." I said grinning as I stood up and retrieved my helmet.
"Right, you asked for it." Billy came back over, forced me in a headlock and began rubbing his fist against my forehead.
"Ow, stop it!" I protested, struggling not to laugh. "Get off you big lump!"
"Knock it off you two!" cried Nigel, clearly fed up at our antics. Billy and I stopped, looked at each other, then looked back at Nigel with sheepish grins.
Billy let me out and stood there more than a little sheepishly as Nigel sighed and shook his head.
"I swear, the mentality of toddlers, the pair of you."
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Sally struggling not to laugh, and Tina nudging her in the ribs in an irritated manner.
Alexander let out a cough to draw out attention, his expression showing that he'd been trying to ignore our behaviour.
"As much as I'm sure we'd all like to talk, but we," He gestured to himself and my Branch, "have to go."
"We do?" I asked.
Yes, there's a ceremony waiting." Explained Alexander to the clink of Nigel putting away his swords.
"A ceremony?" I asked.
"Yes, in your honour of course, for without you we wouldn't be standing here discussing it."
I felt my face pale and I took an involuntary step back.
"Y-you know, I-I think I'll just head back to Burgess. I-I mean, n-no need to go to that k-kind of trouble, right?"
Billy chuckled, "The Big Bad Wolf and the Bogeyman, not a problem, a little pomp and circumstance? That's your kryptonite."
I gave Billy a jab in the ribs for earlier, then looked at Nigel.
"Can I not just-?"
"No, sorry Jackie, but it's an inevitable part of you are now." Said Nigel, his face showing that he was not about to take any more antics from me. "You'd better get used to it. Now you're of age, you're going be expected to do these things."
A grin spread across his face, "And if you think I'm letting you get away with that comment about my age earlier..."
I groaned "Is there not something-?"
"No."
"Come on, please, just this once?"
"Nope, sorry kiddo."
"Sally, back me up!"
Even Sally, who was usually on my side, shrugged.
"I don't think you can get out of this one." She said.
"Besides," added Tina, "you know Sally and I would be able to catch you if try to get out of it."
"Is that a challenge?" I replied, a grin forming on my face as an idea formed. Tina quickly realised what she'd done as I set off on a bridge of ice, cackling.
"JACQUELINE DAVIES, GET BACK HERE!"
"YOU'LL HAVE TO CATCH ME FIRST!" I called, turning around to look back at them. I let out
a whoop and faced forward, ducking into a more streamlined position.
I heard humming behind me and dived into the buildings, zig zagging between them.
"Jackie! Someone's going to see!" I heard her cry, worryingly close.
I picked up the speed only to find a wall of golden sand in front of me. Not having the time or height to make the jump I took a sharp left.
Another golden wall made me take another sharp turn, and this time I was fuming, they were herding me back towards the group.
I rose above the buildings, hoping to get away in the open sky without the twisting corners, which is where I made my mistake. In the open air, Tina was easily faster than me.
Her arms wrapped around me and lifted me off the bridge with ease with her dragonfly like wings. I wriggled and squirmed, but ultimately saw that I was beaten as we landed back with the group.
Alexander was staring open mouthed and shook his head as we landed."And Alfred thinks you'll be a Head one day."
"Not of I have anything to do with it." I grumbled as Tina dropped me. Behind us I could hear North chuckling.
"She's definitely related to you." He said, presumably to Jack.
"When have you ever seen me act like that?" Jack protested.
"Never, but that's something you would do." Commented Bunnymund.
"It's sweet, they act like a family." I heard Toothiana say.
My eyes flicked back and forth between my Branch, maybe there was a chance that I could get between them and run?
Billy saw my expression and shook his head, chuckling.
"Do you really want to try and beat me in a race? 'Cause it's not gonna work kiddo."
I sighed and we headed back to the Tunnel, my shoulders slumped in defeat. I looked over at the Guardians partially hopefully, but they didn't step in.
"Sorry, this is your thing, not ours." Said Jack, trying to stop a smile spread across his face as I stuck my tongue out at him.
"Grow up Jackie." Scolded Tina.
"Definitely not planning on doing that." I shot back.
Slightly anticlimactic with how Lupine was handled, but I see this one as a bit more of a comedic chapter. I usually struggle with writing funny stuff, but I think I succeeded here.