The harbor burst with activity. Bustling all around, people pushed through the crowds to meet their ships. The river Thames sparkled in the early morning light, the grey waters taking on a flash of blue amidst the yellow. Steam rolled across the waters, transparent, unlike the green smog of the outlying factories. No, this was clean vapor, the essence of clockwork.
Aster hauled the luggage cart through the unorganized crowds, its wheels rattling unevenly on the cobblestones. Ahead of him, Jack bounded forward, his heeled boots clapping on the streets. The young man gaped at the scene around him, white hair hidden beneath his hood. In his ears he heard the shouts of the sailors loading their cargo. The loud chatter of the passerby rumbled through his body, and as he pulled his thin cloak around himself tighter, he listened.
"Load the next barrel, men! We leave at noon!"
"Did you hear about Marybeth? I can't believe…"
"A woman like her, it's atrocious…"
"Take it through to the harbor, and then set a course for France!"
"I swear if that bastard cheats me at a game of rummy again, I'll bash his head in…"
"Airship docked at the north tower, sir. Making a round trip back to America. Should I ready the cargo for takeoff?"
"Aster!" Jack called back over his shoulder, turning to face the man.
The Australian was sweaty, irritated, and his arms ached from lugging the trunks behind him. "What?" he barked out, a lock of grey hair falling over his forehead.
Jack chuckled, and walked back to join him. "The port is on the top of the tower. Here, let me help."
He reached for the handle of the cart, brushing against Aster's sweaty skin. The man flinched away suddenly, as if burnt. Jack's fingers wrapped around the metal bar, and he looked at Aster curiously.
The man looked startled, gripping his wrist. He said, "You pull, I'll push it. Which way are we going?"
Jack frowned for a moment, but he dismissed his uncertainty. Lifting an arm, he pointed to the tall tower nearest them. High above the earth, two airships hovered next to the structure, roped in by chains and wire to the steel docks.
"How're we going to get up there?" Aster groaned.
"I'm sure there'll be a lift," Jack said, smiling a little.
Grumbling, Aster walked behind the luggage cart, and began to push. Jack felt the jolt of the trolley, and began to tug. Slowly, they made their way to the tower.
"How much," grunted Aster, "did you have to bring?"
"Enough," Jack replied cheekily. "I brought clothes for a month's worth of travel, and I brought the equipment for my staff. I doubt we're staying for the entire fair."
"Did you bring Sera's letter?"
"Of course."
They entered through the double doors into the north tower. The airy space was not nearly as crowded as the outside world, but a large amount of crew dashed around the vast lobby. The ceiling hung high above them, supported by a tangled skeleton of steel struts and bars. Cargo stacked in piles around the room.
Jack tugged the cart across the lobby, as the workers parted to let them through. They made their way to the center of the lobby, where a large elevator stretched up to the docks above. A group of men hefting barrels of food on their shoulders filed in, converging into the steel casket. The operator reached for the lever, and met Jack's eyes.
"Hold the lift!" Jack cried, just as the metal gates screeched shut.
"Dammit," Aster cursed quietly. "Well, it'll be back in a few minutes."
Jack nodded, as Aster approached him. They looked around the lobby, studying the crowd.
"There's a lot of workers here, aren't there?" Jack commented.
It was true; few people appeared to be here for pleasure, or for simply travel. Soot-faced, smoke-stained men clamored about the room, moving and lifting and working to pack the cargo for the ships.
"Makes a living," Aster said, shrugging his shoulders.
Just then, a small figure approached them, dressed in oversized overalls and a cap covering her small head. Despite the coal dust streaked across her clothes and the tattered state of her clothing, a distinct scent of exotic spice followed her, like a wind from the East.
"Hello sirs," spoke the child, her voice American. She balled her fists at her side as she peaked up at them both from beneath her cap. Through her brunette locks, her eyes sparkled violently at them. "What're you in for?"
Aster glanced uncertainly at Jack. "Business," he snapped at the girl. "You should mind your own."
Offended, she crossed her arms. "Fine then," she said, "do you have a few shillings to spare?"
Another glance at Jack, and he replied, "No. Are you lost?"
"Please?" the girl continued, frowning and not at all pitiful, "Just enough for a Coca-Cola?"
"What in God's name is a Coca-Cola?"
At this the girl's fists loosened in confusion. "Don't you Brits have Coca-Cola here?"
"Oi!" Aster cried, exasperated, "Do I sound like a Pom to you? Go find your cash somewhere else, kid!"
"Aster!" Jack stepped in, placing a hand on Aster's shoulder. The man froze, before suddenly falling lax, leaning back against the luggage cart. Frowning, Jack knelt down next to the girl. He met her eyes from beneath his hood. "Here," he said, fishing in his pocket for a few loose coins. "This'll do?"
The girl nodded.
"Go on then, and don't get lost."
"Thank you, sir!" she smiled, her teeth nearly white, and gave Jack a hug. As she turned to leave, she stuck her tongue out at Aster for good measure. "Bye Grumpy!"
Jack laughed at her retreating figure, and fell back onto the luggage cart, landing with a thump. When he turned to face Aster, however, his smile faded at the man's scowl.
"Aster? You alright?"
The man only growled lowly in response.
"Oh, come on. She was adorable!"
Aster remained silent, and looked away, over through the steam clouding the entire tower.
It hung over them as a fog, filled with water ready to rain. The smell of the steam filled their senses, overlaying everything around them. In their silence they heard the turning of gears and the locking of the elevator behind it as it reached the top of the tower.
"What's the letter say?" Bunny asked suddenly.
Noncommittally, Jack pulled it out from beneath his cloak. He unfolded it, the flowing stationary greeting him.
He read:
"Dear Jack,
I apologize that our correspondence at the ball was short-lived. Nevertheless, I have spoken with Manny and have commissioned a voyage for you to America. You will be traveling with a dear friend of mine, the captain of the airship The Sleigh, Nicholas St. North. He's a little enthusiastic, but I'm sure you'll get along with him just fine.
You will find with this letter two invitations to the World's Columbian Exposition. My father is presenting his newest invention, but I believe it's not the safest decision on his part, at least not for those attending. Your job is to prevent him from compromising the Exposition.
But aside from that, take this as a sort of pleasure trip. I hear Eiffel will be there, the French fellow. You might like his work. Another privilege of your invitation is that you get an exposition booth to yourself, so take the opportunity.
Just, please, don't destroy anything. The fair is supposed to be a tribute to development and world peace, after all.
Best of luck,
Seraphina Pitchiner"
Jack paused, and read the last line of the letter to himself in his head.
"P.S. And please, tell Aster to smile."
Aster nodded methodically, before looking up at Jack. "So what's this invention that Pitchiner is making?"
"It doesn't say," Jack replied, looking into the envelope. "But here are the invitations. I'll hold onto them."
"What do we know about Kozmotis Pitchiner?" Aster mused, "Ever met him?"
"No, but I do know that he used to be one of Manny's apprentices. That's why Sera's so close to Manny."
"Really?" Aster looked surprised, his thick eyebrows crawling up his forehead. "What was his major?"
"Clockwork. He made clockwork dolls, a lot of automatons. Nothing so practical, but still impressive; some of his work is displayed in the gallery."
Suddenly the elevator clamored open behind them. Jack quickly stuffed the letter back under his cloak and moved to grab the luggage cart.
They piled into the lift, with some space left next to their trunks. The operator smirked at the sight of the luggage.
"Going away for a while?" he asked nonchalantly.
"About a month," Jack said from the back, obscured by the trolley.
"That's a lot of luggage for a month."
"It's more than just clothes, mate," Aster muttered. "Take us up."
"Right," the operator groaned, waving off the two.
The metal gates screeched shut, and the operator pulled the lever.
As they began their ascent up the tower, the people below became smaller and smaller, nearly disappearing to specks. Jack gazed through the grating around him, noting the structure of the building. Through the gaps in the walls, which served no service except support, he spotted the cloth skins of the balloons. The hot-aired ships wavered in the breeze, tied to the metal docks with heavy ropes. Steam accumulated around them, like a shield in the air. The warmth flooded the lift, and a breeze rustled through, stirring Jack's cloak.
He felt Aster's eyes glancing at him from the side, and looked over at him. His grey hair wavered in the wind, his stern face in its perpetual pout. Jack met his emerald eyes, and smiled softly. For a single moment, Aster smirked, before looking away through the metal grating.
The rest of the ride passed wordlessly, the lift stopping on the top floor. The screeching of the gates rang out through Jack's ears, but they were nothing compared to the roar of the wind around them. This high up, the air raged through the lofty docks. Almost immediately, the wind tore Jack's hood from his head, exposing his stark white hair. He yelped in surprise before tugging it back down.
"Here you are, sirs," the operator announced, slightly bored. "Don't wander too close to the edge, and have safe trip." The warnings sounded more like routine than concern.
Aster chuffed under his breath, and unfolded his arms to grab the luggage cart. Without a word to the operator, he heaved the trolley out of the lift.
"Thank you," Jack said softly as he passed.
"Wait, man," the operator suddenly called, grabbing Jack's arm. When he looked back, Jack saw the man smiling. "You're welcome. Which ship are you booked for?"
"Er… The Sleigh?" Jack replied uncertainly.
The kindness was gone, replaced by sheer disbelief. Suddenly, the man laughed. "Really, now!" he exclaimed, "They take passengers? Well, I wish you the best of the luck with that mess of a crew! It's docked on the north side."
Confused, Jack only nodded in thanks, before running off after Aster.
He spotted the large ship almost immediately. Wooden furnishing along the helm sparkled in the morning sunlight, barely dimmed by the steam around it. Large fins sprouted from its sides, folded neatly along the balloons. The metal pipes burst with steam along the magnificent beast, nearly black against the bright red of the balloons. At the bow, the metal twisted into the form of a gaping maw. From the depths, smoke erupted into the air, sending more wind into the docks. A flag fluttered in the breeze, black except for the white G adorning it.
"That's the ship we're supposed to be riding on?" Aster exclaimed, stopping in his tracks.
"That's not a passenger ship."
"That's a pirate ship, mate."
"Ah! You must be who Manny sent!" called out a booming Russian voice.
The broad man made his way towards them, the crew running around the docks parting for him. His coat was a red as the balloons of his ship, black fur lining his large shoulders. With a large smile that curled his white beard, he held out his arms to embrace the two in a bone-crushing hug.
"Ack!" Aster choked, "Who – are – you?"
The man released them both, leaving Jack to heave in air. He bent over his knees in an effort to breathe.
"I am Nicholas St. North! Captain of this fine ship! And you are?" His eyes twinkled beneath his thick eyebrows, a warm kindness in his expression.
After catching his breath, Jack stood straight and held out a hand. "I'm Jack."
Aster kept his arms folded, and added, "E. Aster Bunnymund."
North's smile only broadened. "Good! Nice to meet new people, yes? Come, come aboard!"
Jack and Aster exchanged a glance, before they both took hold on the luggage trolley, and pulled it. They made their way to the dock, a large strip of metal that extended over the edge of the tower.
The ramp looked sturdy enough, and they climbed aboard.
They entered into a metal hallway, with steam leaking steadily through the air. Jack could hear the gears creaking behind the sturdy walls, and he could feel the whirr of the motor beneath his feet. Electric lights lit both ways down the hallway, yellow in the thin darkness. Portholes were open along the outer wall, looking back onto the docks.
"Your rooms will be in the bunkers. We have private room for guests," North said over his shoulder, taking a left in the hallway.
They followed him, the cart rolling behind them along the floors. Both Jack and Aster looked about themselves in awe at the structure.
"Ever ridden in one of these before, mate?" Aster asked.
"No," Jack breathed, his attention caught by the pipes stretching along the inner wall, winding through the frame of the ship.
North took a turn to the right, deeper into the ship.
"Engine room is there," North said, gesturing down a hall that led near the back of the ship. "The bunkers are up these stairs."
Jack and Aster stopped, looking back at their cart.
"Er…" Jack began to voice.
North turned back to them. "What is problem?"
"I'm not sure we can get this up any stairs," Jack said.
North huffed, almost amused. "Nonsense!"
He barged through both of them, and studied the cart for a moment. Then, definitively, he reached up, and brought down the two cases with the clothes.
"Take these," he said to Aster. Once they were gone, he cracked his knuckles. "Now."
He bent down, and took in his large arms the remaining three trunks.
"Hey, be careful!" cried Jack, thinking of his fragile creation.
"No worries!" North called over his heavy load. "This is piece of pie!"
Jack and Aster were left to gape as North carried the three trunks to the stairs. Without breaking a sweat, he began to climb.
"Hurry!" he called over his shoulder, unfazed by the two men's staring.
Aster shrugged off his shock, and followed. Jack shook his head, amazed, and reached for the empty cart, pulling it along behind him.
The next floor was chaos. Hammocks were strung between the posts holding up the ceiling, with pillows and blankets thrown across them haphazardly. And running around the large room was a hoard of children. Shrieks of excitement cried through the air, mixing with the feeling of joy. Light poured through the windows on either side of the room, casting flickering shadows as the kids ran past, some storming the others with pillows, and others fleeing in play. A few slept sloppily in their hammocks, hanging off the edges, on the verge of falling off.
"What in… PHIL!" cried North. Grumbling, the old man crossed to Jack, setting the trunks gently down on the cart.
A large bumbling man ran up to North from some depths of the confusion. He spoke in an odd tongue, somewhat like growling, his mouth obscured by a large bush of a beard.
"Where is Tooth?" North asked accusingly.
"Here, North!" called out a woman.
She darted to Phil's side, her hair an air-blown mess. Green and purple streaks flew through the short cut, and orange goggles held it back against her head. She wore a pilot's uniform, the wool-lined jacket blown up against her body. A wide, hesitant grin plastered across her face, but concern was etched in her violet eyes.
"Has anyone here seen Baby Tooth? I told her to go check on the cargo an hour ago, but she hasn't been back!" the woman exclaimed, looking around herself as she spoke. Just then, her eyes met Jack's.
"Oh! Who is this?" she cried.
"Jack and Aster," North answered quickly. "Tooth, get everyone under con–"
"You two must be the passengers!" Tooth burst, ignoring North, "We're taking you to America, right? Oh, the ride is just wonderful, and so is the ship, you'll love it! Now, open your mouths!"
"Wait, what?" Aster began to ask, just as the woman was on him.
She seemed to leap at him, her fingers prodding immediately. "Oh! Such wonderful incisors!"
"O-oi!" Aster exclaimed.
"And you!" Tooth shouted, moving to Jack.
The young man immediately backed away, shaking his head no, his lips clamped shut.
"Tooth," North commanded, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Make sure kids do their work. I must show Jack and Aster their rooms."
"On it!" Tooth smiled, her attention immediately torn from Jack.
And with that she darted off. North sighed, and then gestured for the two to follow him.
Aster held back to help Jack with the cart, and then he asked, "You have kids on this ship?"
"Not mine," North said. "Orphans. As long as they help out, who am I to say no?"
"But isn't it dangerous to keep them on a flying ship?"
North chuckled, "Life is dangerous, my friend. Does not mean we do not live, no?"
At the edge of the room was a set of wooden double doors. North pushed them open with a flourish, opening to a large room.
Two twin beds sat on one side, with a large worktable across them. A window was set above the table, looking out at the dock. The walls were metal, like the rest of the ship, but a decorative rug rested beneath their feet. A white curtain hung between the beds, dividing them. It hung on a track, able to be drawn back.
"This is your room. Make yourself comfortable. Lunch is right after takeoff; do not be late! Now, I must attend to… the children." He spoke the last words with a hint of fear, and a shudder seemed to make his beard stand on end.
Jack smiled as the man left, and then addressed the room around him. He frowned and nodded appreciatively.
"Well then," he began, "time to get to work!"
"Mate, what?" Aster said, looking at him as if he'd just said the ship was about to fall. "We just got here, Jack!"
"I have one week to finish the staff before we arrive at the fair. I need this time," Jack protested.
"But what about…?" Aster stopped at the determination in Jack's eyes. Sighing, he raised a hand to brush back his hair. "Fine, but I'm heading up on deck for some fresh air. You'd better come to lunch."
"I promise, Aster."
The man hesitated. "Alright, now give me a hug."
"What?" Jack asked, his brows furrowing. "Why?"
"'Cause this deathtrap could fall any minute, and I want to give you a hug that doesn't smell like Old Russian," Aster stated, holding out his arms.
Jack laughed, and stepped forward into Aster's embrace. He was right; it didn't smell like Old Russian. It smelled like the flowers at the ball, and the fresh cologne that Aster kept on his nightstand. He breathed in deeply, and released the man.
"Alright?" he asked, looking up at Aster.
The man grinned, albeit a little hesitantly. "Alright, Frostbite."
Jack chuckled at the old nickname, and then waved the man away. Aster smiled even wider, and left.
Sighing, Jack turned to his luggage. First things first, he decided, and reached for the trunk with his staff in it. He hit the locks, and began to unpack.
A little later, he was seated at the worktable, bent over the casket of his creation. He'd fixed all the damage from the week before, and was now looking for the cause of the error. It had to be the steam generator, or maybe it was just that gear… his mind was addled for the moment, at the constant whirring of the engine around him.
Suddenly he heard a noise behind him.
He whipped around, screwdriver in his fist, to see the girl from the lobby.
"We'll be taking off soon, and we'll be having lunch," she said seriously, violet eyes twinkling.
"H-hi," Jack replied. "Are you a part of the crew?"
"Yep!" she said. "I'm Baby Tooth! And you're Jack, right? I saw your boyfriend Grumpy up on deck. He told me to 'Rack off.' What does 'rack off' mean?"
"He's not my boyfriend," Jack said determinedly.
The girl only shrugged. "Okay, well, like I said, takeoff is in a few minutes. You should come with me to the dining hall."
Jack looked back at his staff. The metal glittered in the light through the window. Outside, he looked through the wispy steam at the lobby. Men hauled cargo onto ropes and nets, using pulleys to haul them up. The commotion was loud, the cries of work and labor reverberating in his head.
"Yeah, okay," Jack said, turning away.
He sat up, leaving the screwdriver behind on the table. Taking Baby Tooth's outstretched hand, he left the room.
"You don't happen to be related to Tooth, do you?" he asked her.
"Yeah, she's my mom. I'm the only one related to her, though. But we're all a family."
"…Does she always look at people's teeth like that?"
"Yeah, she's weird about that."