Alaia Skyhawk: Merry Christmas guys! And yep, I timed my updates a bit, to get this particular chapter up on this day. Enjoy! :)
Oh, and random tidbit of info for a term I use right near the start. MFA is Yale University short for a student doing Master of Fine Arts. The term will show up again in other chapters too, so I thought I'd mention it here.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.
~(-)~
Chapter 98: Tis the Season
New Haven was covered with the lightest dusting of snow as the first semester drew to a close. With Christmas less than a week away, most students who lived close enough to or had the money to travel, were packing bags to head home for the celebration.
One student who could afford to go, but who wasn't, was Sophie. Instead of returning to Burgess, losing four days of her holiday to government over-protection during the journey, she'd decided to stay in New Haven and keep Alicia company. Although that wasn't to say she wouldn't be attending the family's annual get-together at the Winter Sanctuary, which would take place during the afternoon Burgess time. Shortly after the Guardians' party at the Workshop would have finished. But even so, this would be her first time spending most of Christmas Day away from her relatives. Out on her own in the world.
If she was nervous about it, it certainly wasn't showing.
Sophie, bag slung over her shoulder, walked towards and out the exit of the building where the painting MFAs had their studios. Located behind the Green Hall building on Chapel Street. She got a few odd glances from her fellow students, who for the most part were now all aware of exactly who she was. But she ignored them, her mind too full of plans for her to pay any attention. No, not at all when she was off to buy supplies for some fun.
Her arrival back at her dorm room an hour later, resulted in a definite chuckle from her room-mate as she manoeuvred her bag-laden self through the door.
Alicia got up to help her, grinning.
"You got enough there?"
Sophie dumped the bags on her bed, before picking up a cellophane packet from one of them and throwing it at her friend. It contained pre-glued strips of shiny paper.
"Ha ha... Start making paper-chains. If we don't hurry, we won't have enough made to decorate the hall once everyone's asleep."
Alicia tore open the packet and got to work.
"I can't wait to see their faces when they come out of their rooms in the morning."
Sophie sat down beside her with another packet of strips, her expression sly.
"It might even make a couple of the boring ones crack a smile. Seriously, those guys need to lighten up."
Alicia glanced at her.
"You mean like Paul? Why bother, after he put up posters in every hallway in the dorm calling you a freak for believing in Santa Claus?"
Sophie didn't look bothered.
"A stunt that earned him a letter of warning from the Student Representative, and the task of personally taking down every single poster before giving me a written apology. What with it having been scientifically proven now that Santa Claus does exist."
Alicia sighed.
"You know, there are still a lot of people who try to insist it's some of elaborate hoax. Dumb as that sounds, given that more than half the world's governments have publicly acknowledged the research and evidence."
"There'll always be people who doubt, from our generation and those that came before it." Sophie paused in her paper-chain making. "The point is not to let them get me down, or let them stop me doing what I want to do. And I was going to decorate the hallway anyway, even if Paul hadn't been a total ass."
Both of them resumed what they were doing, although Alicia had her eyebrows raised.
"Your tolerance and patience amaze me. I'd have given him the slap he deserved if you hadn't told me not to."
Sophie snorted with a hint of mirth.
"And he's in in the final year of his maths degree. So why damage your own reputation when he's not going to around to bother us for that much longer?"
"True. He's not worth it."
The two of them fell into companionable silence, a mound of decorations steadily growing as time went past. They didn't emerge from their room until just after two in the morning, when the hallway lights were all off and there was no way anyone was still awake. They had nothing but a small torch to light what they were doing, and it was at that point that Alicia noticed something.
She whispered, starting to turn back to their room.
"We should have brought out a chair, or gotten a stepladder. How are we supposed to reach?"
Sophie, also whispering, stopped her.
"Don't worry. Just pass me the string and the blu-tac and I'll sort it."
Alicia frowned a little, handing over the items from her pockets before taking charge of the torch. She then watched as Sophie looped some string through the end link on a paper-chain, then wrapped a blob of the blue adhesive around that.
"We still can't reach high enough."
Sophie glanced at her with a grin.
"Time to show you one of my tricks. I may not be a wizard like my brother, but anyone can learn to apply the power of Belief if they really try. Watch this."
She took a steadying breath, focused her gaze on the blu-tac blob, then let go of it. Alicia lunged as if to grab the falling chain, except it didn't fall. Instead as Sophie then gestured with a hand, raising it upwards, at the same time the string and adhesive also rose with the paper-chain in tow.
When it was in place high on the wall, Sophie made a pushing gesture and the blu-tac visibly squished against the wall as if pressed into place by fingers.
Alicia stared, awestruck.
"Whoa. How long have you been able to do that?"
Sophie was still grinning as she looped string through the middle link on that chain.
"Since I was ten. I use it for my secret painting technique, the one I haven't shown anyone yet. I wanted to settle in first, let people get used to me being around, so I'm going to begin using it when the new semester starts after Christmas."
Alicia watched as Sophie repeated her levitation trick, still speaking in hushed words.
"Could I learn to do that?"
Sophie nodded.
"Sure, I'll teach you. No guarantees though. Moving things like this may not be a 'talent' of yours, it might be something else. Only way to find out is to try. A cousin of mine tried to learn, and found out instead that she can make fruit and vegetables ripen just by touching them and willing it. She now runs a highly successful greengrocers in Kirktown, since she can buy stuff in really cheap but which will keep for a long while, and just ripen it off when a customer wants it. When she ripens something, it tastes like it ripened on the plant. You should see the number of watermelons she sells during summer. Another relative of mine has a knack for cars and other vehicles. He can use Belief to tell exactly what's wrong with one."
Alicia began preparing the next paper-chain as Sophie finished up the end of the first.
"Let me guess, he runs a repair shop."
Sophie shook her head.
"Nah, he doesn't run one on his own. He part-owns one with a friend of his. Greg does the office work and the general vehicle servicing, while Alan does the breakdown repairs. He only learnt his talent two years ago."
They continued decorating, with Sophie describing the 'process' of grabbing and moving an object with Belief. Once done, they hastened back into their room after affixing one last touch to the outside of it. Come morning, the other students came out of their rooms to find the hallway decorated with paper-chains, fake snow along the tops of door-frames, and tinsel tacked along the walls at waist-height. Only one door was decorated as well, and bore a cheery message.
'Merry Christmas from Sophie and Alicia!'
None of the other students failed to smile at the bright and cheerful decorations, except for a certain jerk, which was a small victory for Sophie when she peered out and got several definite smiles in return. Even from some of the people very unsure about her because of who she was.
It was now the morning when most people were heading home for Christmas, so the dorms would be pretty empty for the next couple of weeks. Also the campus cafeteria would be running a reduced schedule, and be closed Christmas and Boxing Day, so anyone staying needed to consider where they'd go eat... Or else live off pot noodle snacks made in the confines of their dorm rooms.
Sophie and Alicia went to the cafeteria for breakfast before going for a walk at the Old Campus Gardens. The aim being to avoid the mad rush of departing students and return after lunch. When they did get back, it was to find a very large wicker basket sat in the middle of their dorm room floor. A fully decorated Christmas tree has also materialised from somewhere, complete with gifts underneath it.
Sophie burst out laughing when she saw them, shaking her head.
"So much for 'no preferential treatment'." She read the tag on the basket. "Yep, just as I thought. Nicholas St North sends his regards... a hamper... and a Christmas tree with presents."
Alicia knelt down to read the tags on the presents closest to the door.
"From Nicholas St North. From Bunnymund. From Ombric, Katherine, and Nightlight. From Jack Frost. From Toothiana. From Phil." She picked up a couple more. "These say they're from your parents and Jamie. You've gotten so many presents."
Sophie, approached and checked the gifts on the other side of the tree.
"Don't feel jealous, because there's a pile on this side from the same people. And these ones are for you."
Alicia blinked in surprise.
"Really?! But why would immortals send me gifts?"
Sophie smiled, getting up to go sit on the edge of her bed.
"North's reason is obvious. You're a believer in him now, and you're still eighteen. The cut-off for 'kids' to stop get gifts from him is now nineteen. As for the rest, they know you've been a good friend to me. This is probably their way of saying they appreciate it."
Alicia tilted her head to indicate the hamper.
"What's in the basket?"
Sophie got up and opened it, to reveal an array of sealed boxes.
"One of North's speciality tricks. Undo the string on a box, wait one minute, and then whatever is inside it will be the perfect temperature for eating when you lift the lid off." She did a rough count of them. "And judging by the looks of things, we won't need to worry about lunch or dinner for the next two weeks. You're going to love the yetis' cooking."
Alicia began inspecting the labels on the boxes, which said what was in each one.
"You think he packed us a Christmas dinner?"
Sophie giggled.
"Why would he need to? You're coming to Christmas dinner with me, my family, and their friends." She paused as she realises something. "Whoops, that's a point. We need an outfit for you! Warm but festive!"
Without further ado, she yanked Alicia towards the door. It was as well neither had removed their coat or shoes yet, because Alicia wouldn't have had to the chance to get them on otherwise.
~(-)~
Four days later, Christmas day dawned bright and clear. In the dorm room, Sophie and Alicia opened all their gifts as eagerly as any child might. Most of they gifts were 'art degree' orientated, although Jack had made a small broach for each of them. Sophie's was shaped like a posey of spring flowers, and Alicia's was a quirky sparrow perched on a twig with leaves. Alicia hadn't noticed the carved 'signature' on hers, J Overland, although the sheer detail of the carving was indication enough to someone who knew the hallmarks of his pieces. She'd have been afraid to wear it if she'd known it would easily sell for two or three hundred dollars if put in an art auction, and Sophie decided not to tell her.
But soon, as the time ticked past noon, Sophie wrapped herself up in festive jumper, layered over a t-shirt for extra warmth, along with warm fleecy trousers, winter boots, and a pair of earmuffs. She also had gloves tucked into a pocket, just in case.
Alicia was baffled as she was encouraged to dress similarly in the bright red jumper Sophie helped her find four days previous. The blond then led them outside and towards the Old Campus Gardens, where she put her fingers to her lips and whistled loudly.
There was a flurry of snowflakes and a mild gust of wind, before none other than Jack Frost landed before them wearing a cheerful grin.
"Hey, Sophie. You like your present?"
She threw herself at him, enveloping him in a hug.
"It's great, Uncle Jack!" She let go and turned to Alicia. "Alicia, this is Jack Frost. My many times great-uncle."
Jack reached out to shake the dumbfounded woman's hand, when she remained blinking at him wide-eyed in nervousness.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Now, you two ready to go?"
Sophie spoke for both of them, even if Alicia had no clue what is coming next.
"Yep."
Jack readjusted his grip from Alicia's hand to her wrist, conjured an ice mirror, and then towed her through it. Sophie followed behind, fighting not to laugh when Alicia tried to dig her heels in and Jack put ice under them so she slid instead of stopping. On the other side, the red-head could then only gape in astonishment at the immense cavern and the ice palace ahead of her.
Sophie took over the leading, or rather pushing as Jack flew ahead and left her the task of herding her friend into the frozen building. Everyone else was already in Jack's 'dining room', which was a recent addition after he was asked to host the previous two family Christmas parties. The guests also included Phil, the six Senior Lieutenants, and around two dozen members of the Bennett Family all sat around a large wooden table. There were three empty seats; Jack's over by his Lieutenants, and the other two were between David Bennett and Jamie.
Once again Sophie didn't give her friend the chance to be unsure, and before long Alicia was swept up into a number of conversations that left her no time to dwell in confusion. By the end of the Christmas dinner, which had been cooked by Jack's three yeti 'Housekeeper' Lieutenants, Alicia was comfortably chatting away to Yuki."
And then once the plates were cleared, everyone headed out to the plaza for the one thing that was pretty much mandatory for any winter celebration that involved Jack... A massive snowball fight, complete with elaborate snow-forts that spanned multiple floors. It was Jack and the Lieutenants versus the mortals and a half-dozen winter sprites, and the result was both chaotic and hilarious.
Things calmed down after that, with the snowball fight followed up by a warming cup of hot chocolate in Jack's lounge. It was shortly after this, that it was noticed that Alicia has dozed off in her seat. All worn out by what was certainly the most unusual Christmas Day she'd ever had.
Sophie used the Warren to go back to her dorm room, Jack carrying Alicia. But just before he left, he hesitated and placed a hand on Sophie's shoulder.
"Be careful, and keep an eye out for yourself... There's been two recent attempts to harm relatives of immortals. If not for the protection charms, then-"
Sophie shook her head to stop him. She'd already heard about the incidents from her father.
"I'll be fine, Uncle Jack. I've no intention of flaunting my presence here, or at least no more than needed for me to teach the other students about the Immortals."
Jack frowned in concern.
"You notice the slightest hint of anyone following you around, you tell me. Anything suspicious at all. Ok?"
Sophie hugged him.
"Don't worry, I will." She picked up a stray Santa hat from her bed and pulled it down onto his head. "Now cheer up, it's Christmas. I want to hear there were plenty of places in the North of the World, where kids can go sledding and have snowball fights over the next few days. I'll be checking the weather maps, mark my words."
Jack relaxed a little, or at least enough to smile and give a jaunty salute.
"Your wish is my command."
He left via the window, snow already dusting down over New Haven in his wake. Sophie watched him go, at once both disappointed to have a warning mar the end of the day, but understanding of why he'd brought it up. Because it was proof that as well as things were going, there were still people out there determined to oppose the changing world and harm anyone viewed as contributing to it.
And she was one of those contributors, or would be very soon. A watchful government bodyguard didn't seem like they'd be much of an annoyance anymore.
But Sophie refused to think about that, as she tucked Alicia into bed, and then went to bed herself. Her hand clasped tightly around her protection charm as she drifted to sleep.
~(-)~
Alaia Skyhawk: There you go. I went for Christmas cheer mostly, but didn't want this to be totally filler. Hence the hint of plot at the end. See you all again in a few days! :)