Alaia Skyhawk: Time to wrap up the Sophie arc for now :)

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 103: Constellation

Jamie and Sophie's return through the mirror wasn't quite triumphant, not with an irate and worried Pooka waiting for them at the other side. But as much as it was clear Bunny had been about to launch into a tirade of reprimands for dashing out of the Warren like that, a simple glance and an eyebrow-raise from Jamie silenced him.

He might have only just ascended, but Jamie already understood the importance of being a Constellation. That and the power over immortals that it gave him. Three hours ago he'd held himself proud as an individual wizard, but now he radiated a firm authority that couldn't be denied.

It reminded Bunny of the change in the young man, which was as profound in its way as the change Sophie had just gone through. Jamie might be just twenty-six years old, but the look in his eyes was of someone with knowledge and responsibility that spanned far beyond that.

Jamie then sighed, letting that stern presence fade.

"Sorry, I know you're just worried, but Sophie is fine." He regarded the Pooka and asked politely. "Could you take us to the Workshop please? I think it would be a wise idea to let the rest of the Guardians see her before they sit simmering in concern any longer. Do they know about me being a Constellation?"

Bunny shook his head.

"Not if the letter North was carrying when he came by, is the same as the ones Jack gave to everyone else."

Jamie nodded.

"Good. I'd rather tell them myself... I'm afraid that my plans mean the Guardians are likely to have a lot of work to do. Helping maintain the happiness among children, and the calm among adults. I'll need to speak with Kosmotis as well. It's likely that from his work, he already knows the best individuals to pick from each government. I'll need to select the representatives with great care."

Bunny started at him, both a little confused and unnerved.

"Representatives?"

Jamie smiled.

"I'll explain it once we're with the others."

Bunny hesitated a few more seconds before opening a burrow to the Warren. From there it was as simple as closing the portal and re-opening it again to the new destination, and the trio emerged to a scene that was just a fraction short of chaos.

Tooth was fluttering around with her feathers stood on end, North was bellowing questions at the top of his lungs, Jack was trying to fend off those questions, and Sandy floated off to the side holding a ball of dreamsand. Clearly he was considering whether or not to knock out both North and Tooth to restore some semblance of calm. The sight of Bunny, Sophie, and Jamie brought instant silence and stillness, before it all started up again with Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy dashing towards them.

Sophie winced, taking a step back, yes beside her Jamie just shook his head in bemusement before he flicked a hand in the pair's direction.

North was instantly silenced, and Tooth brought to an immediate halt. At which point Jamie glanced over at his uncle.

"Noisy, isn't it? It's amazing how the emergence of a new immortal can kick up such a fuss."

North was now gaping in shock at the blasé remark, and Tooth's feathers fluffed up as she spoke in what sounded almost like outrage.

"A fuss?! Sophie is killed and you call it a fuss?!"

Sophie peered around her brother.

"I'm right here, in case you hadn't noticed, and I'm really started to get tired of people overreacting. If I'd stayed dead, it would be understandable. But when I'm alive again and walking around, it's a bit silly." She smiled. "Besides, now I can do something really important for the world, to help revive the Golden Age. I'm the Guardian of Harmony, now."

The silence this time was even more profound, as Sandy dashed over smiling as he shook her hands in congratulations. He at least was being philosophical about the situation. It was after that greeting to her, that he then noticed the spiral pendant Jamie was now wearing. His eyes widening at the young man's wry smile when he saw the Sandman had seen it.

Sandy glanced at Jack, a very large question-mark drawn over his head. Jack just chuckled.

"So are you going to tell them, Jamie?"

Jamie chuckled as well, grinning before he faced the trio of Guardians who didn't yet know.

"I, James Bennett, am the Tsar of the newly ascended Constellation Solus. My sister, now formally Sophia the Guardian of Harmony, will be my main representative just as Nightlight is for Tsar Lunar."

A pin could have been heard dropping after that announcement, if one were to ignore the background noise of toys being made and elves causing general mayhem. There was also little doubt that it would have continued to remain silence, if Phil hadn't arrived with a message.

He blinked at the scene for several seconds, baffled, before walking over to Jack and muttering something to him.

It was Jack's turn to blink.

"Marcia just called, very worked up. About Sophie being shot during her graduation ceremony, disappearing into thin air, gunmen being buried half in the ground and left stuck there, and now Jamie can't be contacted either. The United States Government is on alert, you may say. Although a bit slow on the uptake in calling here, given that it's three hours after the fact."

Jamie had the grace to look a bit concerned at that, if also slightly amused.

"Whoops. Can you give ride to her office? I'll go sort it out."

Sophie reached out to take hold of his arm.

"I'm going too."

Jamie frowned.

"But-"

"Our family and friends understand what's happened, and so can wait. So can telling the Guardians what you have planned. But this can't, because you need me to be there when you talk to Marcia and whoever else is with her." Sophie gave him a nudge. "Don't you get it, Jamie? I'll be Bunny's assistant during the times he needs me, but my real job for now is to help you. Just like Nightlight is Tsar Lunar's 'Right Hand Guardian', I'm that for 'Tsar Solus'. We're a team, so we're going together."

Jamie took a shuddering breath, clearly needing to adjust to things himself. It was still his first instinct to shield and protect his sister.

"Alright, let's go settle things quickly. So we can come back afterwards to celebrate your graduation." She raised her eyebrows, and he laughed. "And yes, to celebrate me becoming a Constellation."

Off to the side, Jack conjured up a mirror and paused with a grin before setting the destination.

"Prepare for the explosion... I'll re-open it in an hour for you to come back."

Jamie snapped his fingers in North's direction, magically pilfering a snow-globe from the Russian's pockets.

"Or I could just use this. Wish me luck."

He and Sophie stepped through the moment the destination appeared, coming to stand in an office directly behind Marcia Hiller. Who at that particular moment was on her phone, and by the sounds of it still connected to the line at the Workshop.

Sophie smiled with mischief and made a pushing gesture with her hand, using her will to press down the 'hook' of the phone and cut off the call.

There were several moments as Marcia tried to continue talking, until she realised the call had been cut. That was when Jamie cleared his throat to get her attention, and she spun round to face him in surprise.

"Jamie! What happened?" She looked extremely flustered. "Do you have any idea of the media frenzy that has started up? The Press are clamouring for information, the Bennett Family have refused all calls to any of the contact numbers. And there's some nonsense message from the New Haven Police, saying that Jack told them Sophie had become an immortal."

Jamie glanced behind him, checking that the portal there had indeed vanished. He then slung his arm across Sophie's shoulders.

"No, they're right. She's stood right next to me, if you'd care to have a little belief."

Marcia blinked, mouth handing open for several seconds, and then her eyes drifted slowly towards Sophie.

Sophie twitched when she felt the belief click into place, which still a rather odd experience for her. She waved and gave Marcia an awkward smile.

"I'll have to get used to being invisible to people who don't believe in me, but it's better than being dead."

Marcia looked dumbstruck.

"You've become an immortal... How? Did Tsar Lunar do it?"

Jamie shook his head, raising his head proudly.

"No, I did. I've had a sudden change of circumstances, Ms Hiller. Almost as dramatic as my sister's. It also means the rules have changed."

Marcia's expression became wary.

"What do you mean?"

Jamie smiled.

"If you thought the changes to the world have been dramatic so far, then prepare to see even more. And while I've not consulted with Kosmotis yet, I think you would be a perfect representative for the United States. Neither a Republican or a Democrat, but a definite patriot. Your experience with immortals is a bonus."

Marcia started to look flustered once more.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"You'll have to wait and see... You'll learn what it is the same time as the rest of the world does."

~(-)~

The flight home had been long, and one burdened by the trauma from the events she had witnessed. Could anyone truly come to terms with such a thing as seeing your best friend be shot dead? Even if by a miracle they were brought back, could you ever forget seeing that terrible moment?

Those were the troubled thoughts faced by Alicia, as she sat in the backyard of her parents house in Seattle. Her diploma sat on the desk in her room, mostly forgotten for now. It was the third day after the graduation, the day Sophie should have come knocking on the door with a smile on her face. She'd visited here last summer break, it would be easy to come via the Warren now she knew where it was. But now her friend couldn't help but feel she wasn't going to come. As much as she believed in immortals, it was still difficult to believe a person she'd known was now one of them.

And she almost hated herself for that doubt. For doubting Sophie was still out there, alive.

There was one person who understood her feelings at that moment. The person who had chosen to arrive a short way from the house rather than risk startling the occupants. A person who sensed that thread of self-loathing and immediately leapt over the fence into the yard.

Sophie came to a silent stop behind Alicia, and with a smile of mischief lowered the platter she carried so that it would be eye-level to the side of her when Alicia raised her head.

"I know a good thing for when you're feeling down. Chocolate cake fixes everything, especially if Bunny made it."

Alicia jolted in surprise, tipping over the deck-chair she was sat in. When she landed on the ground, she then looked up to see a very real Sophie stood over her with a large chocolate cake.

Sophie smiled.

"I promised I'd come with cake, didn't I? I never break my promises."

Alicia stared at her, utterly still, before she then scrambled to her feet and launched herself at the new immortal. Forcing Sophie to levitate the cake to a safe position so it wouldn't be crushed in the following hug.

"Sophie!"

Sophie returned the hug.

"Don't hate yourself for doubting. I don't want to sense you hating yourself for something any other person would think in the same circumstances."

Alicia let go, at once looking ashamed.

"You know I-?"

Sophie nodded, gripping her friend by the shoulder in reassurance.

"I'm Bunny's assistant as my first job as an immortal, but I also asked for a second job... An immortal who can sense hate, and find those blinded and driven by it to hurt others. To prevent any others being harmed senselessly... You're the one who inspired me to do it. You're the one who's idea will help bring harmony to the world."

Sophie lowered the cake again, taking hold of the platter. "Well, shall we go inside and share this out? We've got three days of catching up to do."

Alicia at last started to smile as well, a laugh of relief and elation bursting forth.

"We've got vanilla ice-cream. And there's the popcorn, nachos, and dips my parents bought ready before they flew to New Haven. We can sit in and have a movie day!"

Sophie laughed as well, following her friend towards the house.

"That would be great."

Sophie knew the moment Alicia's self-loathing vanished, even before the young woman was aware of it herself. And even if she was just one person among many many such people she could sense, she was still the first to be helped. The first on a long road to bring harmony to the world.

~(-)~

Alaia Skyhawk: Next chapter, it's time for what I know you'll be eager for. It's the "Tribe of Myth meets modern world" Arc :)