Catacombs
Word got out fast that Kris was out looking for the trio. Yetis were appearing everywhere and staying out of sight was proving to be difficult.
Hiding behind a pair of bushes, they wait for a Yeti to pass before running for cover in a nearby alleyway.
"At this rate we'll never make it ta Pitch."
The Bunny was right. They have wasted so much time and energy just trying to avert the Yetis.
"There has to be another way."
North ponders, looking around for clues.
Noticing the nearby canal he gets an idea.
"That's it! The Sewers!"
The idea easily disturbed the Pooka.
"Seriously? THAT'S your plan?"
"Yes! They'll never think twice to look for us there."
Unfortunately he was right.
A moan escapes the Pooka, as thoughts of rummaging through the sewers fill his head.
"I've got a bad feeling about this North."
"We have no choice. Come on!"
They run down the hill to reach the creek, as Yetis continue to look around the area for the trio.
They safely make their way down and stop before what appeared to be an abandoned entrance if it weren't for the two lit torches hanging on each end.
Looking in, there was nothing but darkness.
Sophie moans her displeasure as she holds onto the Pooka's leg.
North takes hold of one of the torches and marches on.
"Let's go."
One by one they enter the catacombs of the sewers.
The smell was a lot more bearable then what they previously imagined.
Bunny wouldn't blame Sophie for screaming. The place would make wonders if it were listed as a horror attraction.
Dead rats lied nearby as other rats ate off their bodies.
North pushes on forward and only stops when they enter the next room.
Bunny paying so much attention to Sophie accidently bumps into North.
Pausing he rubs his nose.
"Why'd yoos stop?"
Lifting the torch, North lights up the room revealing the large vast of assortment of skulls that were neatly placed to create the walls.
"Crickey…"
A snowflake appears from nowhere landing directly on North's nose.
"Snow?"
That's when Bunny's eyes shoot wide open.
"North! We gotta get-"
Suddenly, their torch goes out.
All three let out a panicked scream.
Before they could make any sense of what had just happened, another torch is lit.
Looking around they realize that they are surrounded by bandits.
Bunny tries to back away as he screams,
"This is bad!"
With no hesitation, the bandits grab hold of each of them, tie them up and force them to their knees.
Struggling against their binds, they look up to see a young boy in his teens prancing happily above them.
"Well well well…what do we have here? Can it be!? KRIS KRINGLE HIMSELF!?"
Flying down he places a finger under North's chin and lifts his head up so that he could get a good look at his eyes.
"Are you here to tell me that I'm finally off the Naughty list?"
North was growing less happy in seeing all these familiar faces. They've done nothing but cause him trouble.
"You hold record Jack Frost."
A bandit quickly covers the man's mouth with a bandana before he could get another word in.
Bunny intervenes,
"He's not-"
Bandanas are soon placed over the Pooka's and Sophie's mouths.
Jack quickly flies over to the Pooka and screams,
"DON'T INTERUPT ME!"
Grabbing a torch he marches deeper into the catacombs.
"You're very lucky to have found our hideaway, but unfortunately you won't live long enough to tell anybody about it. Boys!"
The bandits lift the trio up and carry them deeper into the catacombs.
Both Bunny and North struggle against their binds, as Sophie tries to spit out her bandana.
They are lifted into a section of the Catacombs where hundreds of children resided.
There were clearly no adults present, besides Bunny and North.
The children gather and cheer as the intruders are pushed up a flight of stairs where three nooses awaited them.
Lined up, the bandits place the nooses around their necks, and lower one just for Sophie.
Wiggling his nose, Bunny finally removes himself of his bandana.
"You can't be serious!? SHE'S JUST A KID!"
Flying over the winter sprite playfully taps the rabbit on the nose.
"Well then she should have thought twice before hanging out with traitors."
North removes himself of his bandana and joins the argument.
"We are not traitors!"
Jack couldn't help but laugh.
Flying up he riles up the crowd.
"You hear that!? Kris Kringle here says he isn't a traitor!"
The children begin to boo and throw garbage at them.
Flying back towards the man and Pooka, he puts his arms around them.
"I'm a nice guy. Let's say I give you a fair trial."
North shrugs his shoulders and innocently replies,
"That is fair."
If Bunny wasn't all tied up, he would have killed North himself right there and then.
"North ya gumby! What is wrong with yoos! ? Just because their kids doesn't mean they won't kill us! I'm startin' ta reckon you like getting yourself into these situations!"
Jack flies up and once again riles up the crowd.
"Alright all you boys and girls! It's that time again! Trial time!"
All the kids cheer as one boy makes his way through the crowd to see what all this commotion was about. He is in a state of shock when he sees the trio lined up for tonight's execution.
"Yay if you want them to live or-"
Pressing a lever a nearby dummy with a noose around its neck drops through the trap door and hangs there.
"Nay if you want them to die!"
North and Bunny gasp at the thought.
"Ready!? 1…2…3!"
In unison all the children scream,
"NAY!"
The decision pained North. Even the children of this world were tainted with hate and bloodlust.
"Well there you have it folks! Looks like we're going to have us a hanging tonight!"
A roar of cheers fills the room as the prisoners are pushed forward so that they now stood in alignment with the tops of their trap doors.
A slow death chant starts as Jack approaches the lever by Sophie.
"DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!"
Bunny's heart drops.
"NO! STOP!"
North tries will all his might but he's unable to break free from his restraints.
Shrugging his shoulders, Jack nonchalantly replies,
"Better sooner than later."
Bunny screams,
"Somebody do something!"
Sophie closes her eyes and waits for the sudden drop.
"STOP!" screams out a boy from the crowd.
Jack is just as surprised as everybody else, when Jamie makes his way through the crowd to face the Bandit leader.
Unimpressed, Jack places a hand on his hip and gives the boy an uncaring stare.
"Now WHY would I want to do that?"
"Because she's my sister. That's why."
North couldn't believe his eyes.
"I thought you said he was dead!"
Bunny doesn't say a word. A look of detest can be read across his face, as he stares down at the boy below.
"He is mate. Dead ta me anyways."
Jack, not quite done with the hanging just yet responds to Jamie,
"Um hello! Kris Kringle and his goons here!"
"That's not Kris."
Shocked Jack flies over and gives North a quizzical look.
"WHAT!? REALLY!? Why didn't they just say so?"
Now it was North's and Bunny's turn to get angry at the snow sprite.
"WE DID SAY SO!"
Jack lets out a sigh and rolls his eyes.
"FINE! You're such a Debbie downer Jamie."
Removing them of their ties and nooses, Bunny rushes over and hugs Sophie.
Smiling from ear to ear she proudly announces to the Pooka,
"No cwying!"
"I KNOW! You were SO brave Butterfly!"
"Aster."
His smile instantly disappears.
Turning around he looks down at the boy.
"Jamie. Long time."
"Can we talk?"
"About?"
"Sophie."
"There's nothin' ta talk about mate."
Sophie stares at the boy. She knew she knew him, but she wasn't quite sure from where.
Bunny takes her hand and is about to walk down the flight of stairs.
"HEY! I just saved your life!"
The rabbit laughs.
"Oh! NOW he wants to play the hero role. Well you had your chance! Two years ago!"
Jamie was growing angry over these accusations.
"I WAS A KID! What was I suppose to do!?"
"You were supposed ta be her brother! YOU were her hero and instead yoos sold her and left a two year old liddle girl to face this world alone."
Stepping forward, North's eyes sadly look over to Jamie.
" Why Jamie?"
Jamie ashamed of his past actions looks away.
"Mom had just died, and I couldn't take care of the both of us. A man came asking if Sophie was for sale. Hungry and desperate I told him yes. So I sold for twenty bucks."
"Bloody hell Jamie! I wouldn't have even sold him a dog let alone a liddle sheila! You knew of his intentions and yet yoos turned your back on her! Even when she looked back at you with pleadin' eyes crying you ran off with your new found fortunes. "
He hated that Bunny was really making him come all out with every detail of the transaction.
"If you're so perfect what would you have done!?"
Standing up high on his hind legs, he angrily walks over to Jamie and looks down at him with those intense green eyes of his.
"It's not what I would have done but what I did! A sheila like her would only fetch him 100 bucks tops. I bargained with the man and in exchange for her freedom I gave myself up ta him so that he could flog me instead to Kris Kringle for a whoppin' thousand dollars!"
Whistling, Jack rock back and forth on his new found ledge.
"Whew! That's some money right there! Wouldn't have gone as far as 1000 bucks, more like 400. That's just my opinion. No offence."
Ignoring him, Bunny gently pets the girl's head as he sadly adds,
"He told me what yoos did, and thought I was a few sandwiches short of a picnic for sellin' myself ta save a liddle girl I didn't even know when her very own flesh and blood ran off on her for a measly 20 bucks. Isn't that right?"
"I know what I did was wrong and I can't change that, but I can be there for her now. And that's why I want her to stay here with me."
Grabbing the boy by the cuff of his shirt, he slams him against the wall.
Jack steps forward ready to protect the boy if needed as North rushes forward towards the pair.
Just as he is about to punch the boy, his arm is held back by North.
So much hate and hurt filled his eyes as he stared back at the boy.
"You've got some nerve!"
"She's MY sister! She belongs here with me!"
"NO! You don't get ta play the brother card whenever yoos want! Like I said, you had your chance and you blew it!"
"Oh yea! What makes you think she's better off with you!?"
Dropping the boy, he looks down at him. With a serious tone he replies,
"Her favorite color is pink, she loves butterflies, she is afraid of the dark, and her favorite song is Peter Cotton Tail. Tell me somethin' I don't know and I might even consider your proposition."
The boy remained speechless as Bunny strolls over and takes Sophie's hand.
"That's what I thought. Let's go North."
Looking back Sophie stares at Jamie and looks back at the Pooka with a quizzical look.
"Poppa, who tha?"
"Nobody Sophie. Just a plain old nobody."
North follows Bunny only to stop and look back at Jack and Jamie.
Opening his mouth he is just about to say something but stops himself short.
Shaking his head, he walks out with Bunny and Sophie, leaving Jamie behind with his thoughts along with Winter Sprite.
In homage to The Hunchback of Notre Dame and in respect to the title I had to add this. I think it actually worked with adding Jack and Jamie to the story. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far!
PLEASE REVIEW! :D