Kaiu turned and twisted before finally waking up rubbing her bright green eyes.
"Tuck's ready." It was all Bunny said before going back to the small kitchen and setting the table for them both. He waited for her to appear. She hopped in cautiously.
"Aster, do you remember the story our great elders told us?" She asked, remembering the one about the brave Pooka warrior who stood up for the planet against all odds.
"Depends on which ya mean. I heard a lot o' tales from mine." He gestured for her to take a seat before he settled himself; it had been a while since he'd entertained a guest but he hadn't forgotten his manners. She smiled and explained the story of the famous Pooka who claimed the land against the evil Pookas who were against the great people. She looked at the food having eaten it all during the tale.
"Was there somethin' about it you wanted ta say in particular?" Bunny asked, wondering why she'd brought it up as he got himself a second helping.
"There's plenty of soup. If you want more help yerself." Kaiu went silent.
"Nevermind, how about that tour later?"
"Alright then." Bunny still wondered, but didn't push as he set into his second helping.
"Er, do ye have a nest somewhere?" He asked around a bite. Kaiu's ears twitched.
"No, I landed and was lost for a few weeks 'til I was captured; so basically that cage was my forced nest for a while." Bunny winced a little at that.
"I see... well... ya can stay here then 'til ya find a proper place." It wasn't that he was booting her out or anything, but it was frowned upon for non family members to stay together under the same roof if they weren't mates and he knew that good and well. Even if there wasn't any other around to judge him for it, he still remembered his manners and the proper decorum in terms of guests and what not. Kaiu nodded.
"I promise I won't stay long." She said with sad eyes.
Jamie didn't blame him for flipping out really, but damn... that hurt... after a few moments it subsided enough to let him move again and he hobbled to the closet to be close to Jack as much for his own desire to be as because he knew Jack needed him to be. He didn't say anything, he just curled up next to him in the closet. Jack whined a little, afraid to talk.
Why did I do that? He asked himself. Jamie didn't say anything, but he shifted a little to lay his head in Jack's lap before falling asleep. Jack looked down at Jamie's peaceful face; it made him think a lot until he fell asleep in exhaustion. Jamie didn't wake up until the next day to the smell of breakfast. Jack was still asleep though, right by Jamie, eyes baggy and tired looking. Jamie gently picked Jack up and tucked him into bed before eating his share of the waffles that had been brought. Jack turned and tossed his head, only dreaming of the nightmares. When Jack awoke he was fearful at first about if this was reality or fake.
"Hey." Jamie says softly when he noticed that Jack is awake and senses the fear. He doesn't want to startle Jack anymore than he already is. Jack groaned, his head beating like drums
"Ow."
"No rush... just... well... it wouldn't be proper havin' ya live in here with me... I... guess if ya want you could make a place in the Warren itself. Just... well, ya know..." Bunny stumbled a little over the words. He didn't want to give her the wrong impression or anything. He had been brought up proper and wasn't about to step out of line... even if she was the first Pooka he'd seen in ages... She smiled.
"I can do that, and maybe help with the googies around easter." She said, hopping a little to Bunny. He smiled a little.
"Any help it'd be appreciated... it gets a little crazy round here that time of the year. Fortunately it won't be for a while yet. Come on, I'll give ya tha tour and ye can pick a spot for yerself if ya want." Bunny said as he put the empty dishes aside to be washed later and settled the extras in a cool basement that would keep it fresh for a few days yet before he headed out the door to give her that tour. Explaining how each part worked during Easter, the flowing dye river, the egg tulips that produced all the eggs, the vines and the tunnels. When he got done with that he showed her around other parts of the place where he kept the garden for vegetables and a few flowers and some various points around the place that had various views of the long stretch that the eggs traveled down until they reached the tunnels. There was a place near the tunnels set aside where a few thousand baskets were woven and several stacks of various materials waiting to be used and even one half woven basket that was waiting to be finished. Kaiu was awed by the whole place.
"Would you mind if I planted the last seed of my favorite tree here?" She held up a little tree, a juju tree.
"Go ahead. The more green the better here. I'm sure it'll flourish in no time." Bunny replied with a smile.
"Did ya see any good spots for a place?" Kaiu smiled and looked for a good spot in the garden or area she chose by the little cave that she found the eggs hiding in.
"Here would be a good spot." Bunny smiled as he watched her plant the tree.
"That's a good a spot as any." She giggled and watered the little seed after planting it.
"Just outta curiosity... what clan you from? I don't recollect seein' markings like yours before." Her ears drooped, but perked up after a second.
"South east Pooka clan, we were magical healers." Bunny nodded thoughtfully.
"I remember hearing mention of that clan. Some of the hardest workers in the Fearling War I heard."
"You okay?" Jamie asked gently, concerned. Jack shook his head, whining and holding his head; it hurt so much. Jamie wasn't sure what to do about it, so he tried the only cure he knew; he handed Jack a glass of water.
"Here, see if this helps." Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn't... it wasn't a for-sure cure for headaches. Jack drank the water.
"AHH GOD! IT ONLY MADE IT WORSE!" Jamie winced a little.
"Sorry, didn't think it would." Jack whined and ran out of the room; he needed to be far from the headache and pain but he couldn't run from his own mind. Jamie wondered what in the world Jack was thinking as he followed behind him at a distance. Just to make sure he didn't attack anyone else he might see. Jack groaned when a few winter spirits come to say 'hi' but he left in a hurry. Jamie didn't bother explaining to them as he followed Jack. When he saw a fall spirit he screamed and flew other direction, straight into Jamie.
"Stupid fakes... why, why can't he leave me alone?" Jamie winced a little, following Jack around silently; he hadn't expected Jack to turn tail so quickly and that was why he'd not been able to get out of the way in time. Jack squealed.
"J-Jamie." He backed up, not believing at the moment this was real, but tried to calm down; no one had attacked him yet but it might be a trick.
"Ahh my brain!" He held his head in pain, the winter spirits from earlier looked concerned. Jamie kept a fair distance if only to keep Jack from bolting. Jack squealed out in pain, his brain was just in so much pain... like he was being stabbed with hot pokers.
"Jack?" Jamie wished he could help, but there wasn't really anything he could do. Jack panted, he felt the pain only grow worse; he backpedaled from Jamie. He felt like he might lash out so he kept moving back away from Jamie. Jamie just watched, keeping Jack in sight, but not closing the distance. Jack ran as far as Canada but the pain never left.
"Why won't it go away?" Jamie followed, but kept the distance... where was Jack going? Where the hell am I?! Jack looked around only to see a moose, but broke down crying as that stabbing pain returned, worse than before. His mind was making him seeing things, making him slice into the trees and cut a few down.
"GET AWAY GET AWAY!" Jamie winced, watching in concern. Jack panted.
"Please go away away!" He sliced another tree in half, almost slicing Jamie as well. Jamie dodged the slice, wondering just how many trees were going to be cut down...
Kaiu blushed.
"No, it was north west clan that did the most work."
"Nonsense. Your clan was vital in the peak battle just before the end of the war itself. Those who were here to fight didn't have the north west clan here... what few were." She blushed a lot more.
"Thank you Aster."
"What fer?" He gave her a bit of a confused look. Kaiu thumped her foot.
"For everything." Bunny smiled a little.
"Don't mention it. I'm just glad for the company really." She smiled happily and hopped about like any kit would happily speaking in their little language. Bunny watched her, wondering if there'd ever been a time when he'd been like that himself... well... maybe during the more peaceful times when he'd been a kit. She seemed to still be on herself really. He'd have to watch himself for sure. She smiled.
"Hey Aster, let's paint! I love to paint." She was a hyper kit.
"Alright. I have some canvas for ya ta use. I do a bit of it in me down time." Bunny fetched some canvas and paints for Kaiu. She smiled and waited for Bunny to return. Bunny returned shortly with all the supplies and even set up an easel for her though he decided to do some sketches in a pad instead of painting.
Kaiu was happy as can be, painting gently a beautiful sunset in detail. Bunny settled back and watched her a moment before beginning his sketch. It had been so long since he'd seen a fellow Pooka that he'd decided to sketch her while she did her painting. She painted with her tongue sticking out in concentration. Bunny chuckled inwardly at her expression as he sketched it. That was sorta cute really... Kaiu finished it.
"LOOK ASTER! I DREW YOU ON A EGG HUNT!" The pose was perfect, hiding eggs in bushes and children in the background. Bunny looked up from his sketch and his jaw about dropped. His eyes did widen slightly.
"How did ya..." He trailed off... that scene was more than just familiar... it was when he was younger... or rather... the painting was VERY close to one of his first Easters...
"I don't know, I just remembered seeing you once on a screen in Dusk's office." She said while painting her paws for fun.
"I see... Guess that two-bit spirit knew more than I wagered..." He shook it away though with a small smile.
"The painting is a beaut though... you have real talent." Kaiu was surprised.
"Really, but to me it's a messy blob." Bunny shook his head.
"That's quality work for someone who's outta practice I'd say."
It was over 450 trees, and a big old one that many, many, many, many magical creatures had thrived and survived in. Jamie winced, wondering what he should do to help... but he couldn't even get close... he felt helpless.
"Jack! Please stop!" He called out, it's all he could really do without making things worse... Jack didn't hear a thing, having massacred a bajillion trees later; it was getting to the point where Jamie would have to use force... After a moment Jamie decided that drastic measures would need to be taken... he'd never attempted this... but he'd read that it could be done and he knew the North Wind wasn't going to be happy with him for doing this... but until Jack had recovered... this was for the best. His hands glowed blue as he concentrated, drawing out Jack's power into himself... it wouldn't be painless... but it wouldn't be agonizing either... and it would likely get Jack's attention if nothing else... but he needed to stop Jack from lashing out with the power of winter at everything around him... Jack growled, not liking that feeling; he turned on Jamie, meaning to lash out with ice but only a puff of air left him.
"No no... PLEASE NO... NO NOOOO!" His screams were louder than normal. Dusk no! No not again... no oh God please no... not another torture session... It's all he could think when his powers puffed out like that. Jamie cringed as he flew over to Jack, he knew this wasn't going as well as he planned... but he had to do SOMETHING... He gently grabs Jack's shoulders and gently shakes him.
"Jack... snap out of it... please... Look... I'm sorry I had to do that." Jamie's eyes gleamed in pained guilt... but what else could he have done? Jack squirmed and fought, and struggled.
"LET GO OF ME I DON'T WANT THE PAIN ANYMORE! PLEASE I BEG YOU!" His mind only remembered the bad, he was weakening fast, but not giving up without a fight. Jamie held Jack close... hoping this worked like it did in the movies... Instead of holding him tighter he shifted to place his lips on Jack's. The rush of sensation that went through him made him realize it had been a little too long since he'd allowed himself this. Since he'd thought about it. Jack screamed a little more before falling into the kiss and everything was suddenly clear; he felt weak and fell into his arms.
"J-Jamie..." His eyes were filling with tears, everything was blurry and the next thing he knew he was unconscious. Jamie sighed, holding Jack against him as he flew off to the cave. Maybe some time there would be best for his recovery rather than at the pole. Jack groaned, talking and trembling in his sleep; the pain always returned no matter how much he wanted it to go away, it always returned. Jamie tucked Jack into the bed that Jack had designed for him when he'd been just a kid. With a sigh he settled down to wait. There wasn't much else he could do. Jack shivered, talking, moaning and crying in pain; even having kicked Jamie in the crotch a few times when he'd been close by as Jack fought against invisible enemies. Jamie ended up sitting against the wall, nursing the bruises he was pretty sure he'd have about now... Jack groaned and awoke screaming, just non-stop screaming; finally all was silent except for his fevered pants and pain. Jamie clamped his hands over his ears as the echo of the cavern made it worse to hear. Only once Jack had stop did Jamie look over at him.
"Feel better?" Jack squeaked and fell off the bed, but he just looked at his hands. Jamie wanted to ask if he was okay, but this time he refrained as he watched Jack.
Kaiu smiled.
"Thank you, my m-mama taught me."
"Ya had a good teacher then. Ever done any sketchings?" Bunny flipped to one he'd done of Jack a few years back, he'd caught the boy napping in a tree with Jamie and he was rather proud of that sketch as he'd managed it without disturbing either of the dozing winter spirits.
"Somethin' like this?" He showed her the sketch of Jack and Jamie. Kaiu giggled.
"No, no Mr. Aster. I've never drawn, only painted." She said.
"But I'd like to learn."
"Hey now, none of this mister stuff. I'd like to think that we're at least friends and I ain't never been one on formalities like that. I can teach ya ta draw. Not that different from paintin' really. Only difference is that ya don't have any colors ta work with. Be back a tick." Bunny dashed off only to return with another sketch book and a pencil.
"Now then..." He began to teach her about the different pencils that could be used, but weren't always necessary and how different shades of the pencils could be used to imply color that wasn't seen. He then demonstrated a few simple shapes on a page from his sketch book, using one of the children from her painting as a demonstration on adding "color" with just a pencil and some basic shapes and shades before handing her the spare one to experiment with. Kaiu was happy, she drew instantly a perfect picture of Bunny; she even got that special birthmark near the end of his tail. Bunny smiles.
"Yer a quick study."
"Yeah daddy said so too before he went to army." She said, ears drooping. Bunny reached out, putting a paw on her shoulder.
"As long as we remember 'em... they'll always be with us. It doesn't hurt any less... but time helps." Kaiu hugged Bunny's waist 'cause that's all she could reach; she was short and adorable but didn't mean she was ready for mating yet. Bunny was startled by the hug and he hugged her back. Yeah... this close up he could tell she hadn't matured, although it would be even worse if she had... Why was he even thinking that? He brushed the thoughts aside. They'd just met... crickey... it was a good thing his mother drilled proper decorum into his head... He shook it away. She was a friend. That was all. No 'ifs', 'ands' or 'buts' about it. Maybe she'd be like the little sister he never had... he had been the youngest in his family after all.
Jack heaved for air, needing it more than anything... and comfort; tears sprang forth, it was like Jamie didn't want to be around him anymore. It was so distressing, he took off without any warning to Jamie at all.
"Jack!" Jamie flew after him. What the heck? He just wish Jack would stop taking off like this and stop to explain things for a minute. Jack didn't want to explain, the pain was too much and Jamie wouldn't understand; he was too scared to even try to tell him what's wrong so Jack wouldn't tell him what was, speeding away from him as fast as possible. Jamie didn't understand it... what was he supposed to do? After a while it occurred to him and he slowed down, he still followed Jack but now he kept out of sight. Maybe it was just that Jack didn't want him around... Well, he could deal with that he supposed, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to not continue to follow him. Jack panted, was he far enough away? He looked behind him and everywhere around him in the trees as he had flown into a forest and now he settled on a fallen tree. Sad, alone, and in pain; he decided to make a fire for the night. He gathered rocks and created a safe wheat to grow from the ground as fuel. It was a growing spell Bunny had taught him. Jamie gets as close as he dares, hiding behind a tree several feet away. He slipped into the hollow of the tree with an inward sigh. He could sense Jack's loneliness and he wanted badly to just go to him... but Jack had run from him. Chances were he would again, so Jamie simply contented himself with being close at hand in case Jack truly needed something. He lay on the ground of the hollow and simply watched Jack, calling up a gentle snow, but also sending the wind to act as a sentry for Jack, to drive away any wild animal that would get too close to him. Jack sniffled.
"Oh Jamie, why can't you stop hiding in that shell?" He spoke to himself, saddened and upset truthfully.
"I don't run from you cause I'm scared, I run cause you don't want me..." Jack said, his heart aching for Jamie's touch as he fell asleep against the log. Jamie wondered what the best course of action would be. He didn't want to startle Jack and he didn't understand what Jack was talking about... what shell? Okay, so he had bottled up his desire to go with the Guardians to rescue Jack... but that was it. He wasn't hiding anything really he was just trying to keep control... When the sun rose the next morning there was a small message written in glittering frost near Jack:
I will always want you. I will always be here for you... even when you don't want me to be. I will always be close by, even when you don't see me or refuse to.
Jamie dozed in the morning sunlight on a low branch of the hollow tree, he'd settled there after writing the message. He'd done a good bit of thinking, choosing the words carefully before having them delicately etched out. Seeing the message made Jack's heart ache to hear Jamie's voice. He looked around for Jamie, but the tears got in the way of that; he sniffed and walked on, dragging his staff behind him. The message had made him sad because he couldn't be with Jamie without him trying to control himself... that's not what he wanted Jamie thinking about all the time. Jamie shifted at the sound of the dragging staff only to yelp in surprise as he fell from the tree he'd forgotten he'd taken a nap in and landed in a snowbank beneath the tree with a soft thud. Jack jumped in surprise, turning around to see Jamie in a snowbank.
"J-Jamie." Tears fell fast and hard before his throat tightened with pain and sadness. He didn't bolt, just stood there as he didn't know what to do anymore. Jamie groaned a little as he picked himself up out of the snow.
"Ah... h-hi..." So much for being stealthy.
"Please... don't cry..." He said, wincing a little at the tears. He didn't understand why Jack was crying... why he hurt or was sad... none of it made sense to Jamie. Why was Jack so upset? Jack shifted from foot to foot, aching to embrace him, but it appeared Jamie wasn't interested in that at the moment. Jack finally spoke, not in anger but sadness as that had been the last straw.
"HOW CAN I NOT WHEN ALL YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IS HIDING AWAY?! TO CONTROL YOUR ANGER! DUSK... HE TORTURED ME AND THE GUARDIANS WERE THE ONLY ONES THERE! THEY COULD HAVE LOST ME JAMIE! LOST ME AND YOU WEREN'T THERE!" Jack yelled that's why he was sad; Jamie hadn't come to his rescue that time, he was upset then over it and he was upset now. Jamie flinched back, his eyes flashing in surprise and hurt.
"I... I couldn't... it wasn't my job to... I... didn't want to repeat what happened with those spirits... I couldn't risk it... I'm sorry. I just... I was just trying to..." Jamie faltered. He couldn't say it and he didn't know why for a moment and then the hurt was replaced by a brief flash of anger.
"Don't pin this on me. I wasn't there because I KNEW what would happen if I was. You couldn't even STAND that I stopped a bunch of bullies... I am NOT a Guardian... I am NOT like you Jack... I never will be. I sometimes wonder what it is you expect of me but don't stand there and gripe about my decision to stay away from a larger confrontation when you couldn't even handle the smallest bit of my temper! I WARNED you I had one and when I stepped up to protect you what did you do? You THREW IT BACK AT ME! Like you didn't even want a simple act of kindness from me and now you DARE throw a tantrum because I TRIED to do the good thing for once and stay out of things that aren't my business? Things that would have made what I did to those fire spirits look like nothing? You don't KNOW what I would have done! I DO! That's why I let THEM handle it! THEY knew what they were doing! I don't! I don't have a fucking clue! I don't even know why the hell I was made a spirit in the first place! YOU five have it all figured out and maybe it took you 300 years Jack, but you still know more than I do. I couldn't BEGIN to even imagine what that was thinking in the first place."
He gestured towards the moon with a scowl and spun around before he did something he regretted. Well, no... he'd already done that as he realized he'd flash frozen the tree he'd been standing next to. Jack jumped, looking at Jamie with tears; he didn't mean to make him angry... he didn't mean to say anything. He didn't mean to hurt him that was it ... it broke Jack down completely. He looked at the necklace Jamie made him once to make him feel better. He sniffed and ripped it off his neck and tossed it to the ground.
"Well maybe you need to be alone for a while!" He said at the end before leaving him alone, the necklace shimmering in the darkness of the shade of the tree it had landed in, it was frozen before but now melted... Jamie stared at the necklace like it would bite him. After what seemed like forever he gently picked it up, cradling it close to him as he simply broke down into tears of frustration and pain as he clutched the gift. It hurt... it hurt so much. Jamie curled up at the campfire. He'd spend several days there before finally tucking away the gift and walking a few feet before flying off. He closed himself off from the world, though he still spread snow since Jack couldn't do that anymore. He kept up the job, but each little snowflake fell like a tear he could no longer cry. Simply numb from the pain and the longer this went on the more numb he became to it until it was a dull ache in his chest and head that followed him constantly no matter where he went; no matter what he did. Jack shivered, why couldn't he make snow? Why? What was wrong with him? He had his staff, he had powers, but... why couldn't he make snow? He gasped as it came to him.
"Jamie..." He shook his head, no he couldn't he couldn't have no... Jamie never stayed in one place for long... sometimes less than an hour. He stayed away from Jack since apparently that was what Jack wanted. It made him shudder every once in a while when he saw Jack and headed off in a different direction. Eventually he stopped feeling numb and just felt cold and alone. Always alone... he never got close to anyone. No one could see him except his mother... or she had been able to... A single visit to her had nearly made him cry. She was old now... and her memory wasn't what it used to be... she hadn't even recognized him when he'd visited her and when he'd looked over the shoulder of a nurse who was reviewing her files he knew why... and he knew there was no curing it. His mother barely even remembered that she had children now... Soon she would pass away. Jamie sighed as he pushed the thoughts away. He was an orphan now. He stood before an orphanage... he didn't even care to remember the name of this city, but for them he created little frost animals to play with as they played in his snow. He winced as they called out for Jack. Would it ever stop hurting that no one knew he was there? Was this why some of the other winter spirits he'd seen were so bitter? Well, he couldn't be... He could never be like them. The children sighed in disappointment as they were herded back into the orphanage as the sun set. Time to move on again... Jamie flew from the top of the building he'd been standing on, watching the children with a sad sort of wistfulness. Jack was only sad, he never stayed in one place; he knew if he didn't make snow sometime he'd be invisible again...
"No I... I don't want to be alone again not again..." It's all Jack would cry at night, the north wind would even rock him to sleep, whispering that he wasn't alone. He couldn't make snow, what was he supposed to do and the children were calling for him... He cried and cried until finally he became bitter-angry, not the happy or fun trickster he once was.
This is what was going to be Jack now, he didn't talk to people; he just played tricks, it's all he could do... eventually his tricks returned to the cruel ones of Jakoul... During one such trick the children fled, as a icicle slammed in front of Jack. Standing on a tree, eyes as cold and dead as the ice itself, was Jamie.
"Stay away from them." He hissed. Jack snickered.
"What, can't take a joke Jamie? After all, you left me... I left you because... and you also took my power. What was I supposed to do huh?" He said, annoyed as it was; he flew from him to go scare some other children. He wasn't as strong yet, but he could use the power of shadows, it was strange. A snowball as heavy as a bowling ball slams into Jack suddenly, forcing him to the ground; Jamie lands in front of him, eyes a steely blue.
"I do everything you ask... even attempt to change for the better and THIS is how you repay me?! I even keep up snow days to make sure the children still believe in you... still call for you when it's ME who's giving them the fun in the snow... and you TURN on them?! Don't you realize now that I'm not here to just stop you? I have no choice now. You must be eliminated. I gave you everything Jack... but oh that wasn't enough for you was it? Never knowing how to make up your mind... this or that... well now I'VE become the newest winter Guardian. I'm protecting their belief... and that means protecting their belief in you... such a shame they'll never see you again." As he spoke a sword of ice formed in his hand.
"Goodbye, Jack Frost." Jack's gaze returned to him.
"Go ahead, I have nothing else to live for anyways; its not my fault I turned this way, it's not even your fault... but Jamie just know if I die by your hands that I love you no matter what." He said, eyes a icey blue full of nothingness but love and sadness; he was a washed up spirit, ready to die ready to be impaled; the hopelessness reached Jamie's heart hard... Jack didn't want to live anymore and he realized this.
"I loved you... more than you'll ever know." The blade shot forward, there was a moment when he should have stopped... something in him crying out that this was all wrong... that this was just... but he couldn't stop. There was no turning back... and seconds later he stared down at the dead winter spirit... What had he done? Why...? He shook, why had it come to this...?
"Jack... w-why d-did you make me..." His voice broke and suddenly he stared up at the moon that shone above, the heart wrenching wail was loud enough to wake the dead... or in this case, Jamie woke himself. He trembled badly, water droplets froze on his skin as his heart hurt and so did his head.
Jack was losing energy, he was going to die and now he knew it wasn't real; none of this was real... He coughed, fighting the power Dusk had over him, then he saw Jamie but it wasn't Jamie.
"No NOT AGAIN! NO LET ME GO!" Jack screamed and struggled in pain as it sucked the anger right out of him along with some of my own essence of power. The Guardians burst into the room, having fought several of the Nightmares. Sandy had purified several of them while North, Tooth and Bunny had sliced them up. North pointed a sword at Dusk.
"Release Jack to us." Dusk smiled.