Chapter 3: Pippa

The scene blurred, like someone fast-forwarding a movie. "Hey, what's going on?" Bunnymund staggered a bit, the blurriness making him lose his balance for a moment. Jack chuckled, finding the disorientation of the others amusing. Jack, himself, was mostly unaffected due to his experience riding the Wind. He was used to his environment blurring by.

When the scene finally came back into focus, Jackson had walked into the house to find it eerily quiet. Dinner was still set on the table, but a couple of chairs were knocked over, like his parents had left in a hurry. The Guardians looked around warily, unsure if there was an intruder or not.

Jack, on the other hand, was rather calm, and even somewhat excited. Though he didn't bother to inform the other Guardians that there wasn't really much amiss. Sandy was about to ask Jack directly about what was going on, when an ear-piercing agonizing scream came from upstairs.

"MUM!" Jack cried out, dashing up the crickety old stairs, the Guardians hot on his heels. Could something have happened to Jackson's mother?!

Another scream came from behind the door to his mother's bedroom, this time accompanied by a strained groan from his father.

"Ma! Pa! Are you okay?!" Jackson rushed into the bedroom, horrified by the blood all over his mother.

"J-Jackson!" His father, who'd been holding his wife's hand, came over to his son and ushered him out of the bedroom. He kneeled down, having closed the door behind them. "Listen, your mother is fine."

"No she's not! There's blood everywhere!" He protested.

"The baby's coming." He explained. "It happened when you came, and she's still here, right? It's natural. Don't worry so much about it, okay?" He ruffled his son's hair. "How about you and I warm up some dinner and get you fed?"

The immortals watching let out sighs of relief. "Aw, crikey! I thought something bad had happened!" Bunny's shoulders slumped in relief.

"I'm just glad everyone's okay." Tooth paused a moment. "Oh my gosh! Jack! You're a big brother!! No wonder you're so good with kids!" She squealed, flittering around the white-haired guardian.

"Tooth is right!" North let out a booming laugh. "You are good with kids because you have younger sibling!"

They didn't register that the scene had sped up again, because the next thing they did know, a midwife came out and informed Jackson and his father that they could now meet the newest member of their family.

Jackson hesitated when he came in. He'd been so excited to learn that he was going to be a big brother, and now... now he wasn't so sure. His father ushered him closer to his mother, who was holding a tiny bundle in her arms.

"Jack... Would you like to meet your new baby sister?" His mother asked, smiling. He perked up, now seeing the tiny baby cocooned in the blankets. He nodded, and his father carefully helped him hold her properly.

The moment Jackson looked down at the sleeping girl, he felt a fierce protectiveness well up inside. He would be the best big brother ever! "What's her name?" Jackson asked quietly, looking at his parents.

"We thought that you might like to give a suggestion." His father smiled, and Jackson lit up.

"Really?" He whispered, trying not to wake her. They nodded.

"Well then... Pippa. Pippa Overland." He smiled at the name. It was what the Wind had always called his sister, so it must've been her name wherever she came from.

"Pippa. I love it." His mother smiled, looking exhausted.

"Get some rest, darling. You did wonderful. Jackson and I can take it from here." His father gave her a kiss as she fell asleep. Jackson just looked back down at the bundle in his arms.

"Don't worry, Pippa! I'll be the best big brother ever! I'll show you all kids of fun, and I'll protect you no matter what!" He grinned, and his father gave him a proud smile.

"I know you will, Jackson, but for right now, it's past your bedtime. You don't want the Sandman to get sad because you won't enjoy his dreams, right?"

"N-no! I love the Sandman! And the Tooth Fairy! And Santa! And the Easter Bunny, too!" He let his father take his sister back. "I'll go to bed. I don't wanna make the Sandman sad."

Sandy smiled softly, finding the scene absolutely adorable. "Aww, Jack~ Did you really think Sandy would get lonely if you weren't there to enjoy his dreams?" Tooth asked.

"Well, growing up, my parents told me all kinds of stories about you guys. And since I never liked going to bed on time, they told me that if I missed my bedtime, the Sandman would think I didn't like the dreams he gave me, and then he'd get sad. It usually worked, too." Jack chuckled.

Sandy formed a little heart over his head, showing that he was grateful that Jack cared about his feelings.

The scene changed to show Jackson, now around ten, with a four-year old Pippa. "Jack is nine in this memory." Manny supplied, making the group jump.

"Stop scarin' us!" Bunny muttered angrily.

"Come on, Jack!" Pippa laughed as she bounced around. Her hair was brown and her chocolate eyes sparkled with excitement. She looked quite a bit like Sophie, Bunny realized. "It's Easter!!" She cried with glee.

"I'm coming, Pips, I'm coming." Jackson laughed as his sister dragged him outside.

"Be careful, Jack! Watch after your sister." His mother called after them.

"We will!" Jackson replied, grinning.

"Ha! It's Easter." Bunny crossed his arms in victory, sending a smirk to North.

"Just because Easter is shown first does not mean is better." North reminded him.

"Enough. I don't want you two fighting right now." Tooth butt in sternly. The two boys crossed their arms and resolutely turned away from one another like children.

"Jack! Jack! I'm gonna get more eggs than you!" Pippa declared.

"Oh? We'll see! Just don't go past the clearing." Jackson smirked. "Ready? GO!" He cried out, running ahead of his sister. He grabbed all the well-hidden eggs, and placed them in plain sight so his sister could get them. He grinned when he heard her cries of joy at finding the colorful treats. Of course, he put a few eggs in his own basket, too.

He got so caught up in his own little game of 're-hiding' the eggs, that he didn't realize when he stopped hearing his sister's joyous 'ah-ha's and 'oooh's.

When he did, however, he quickly retraced his steps, finding a trail of colorful eggs behind him. "Pippa?! Pippa?! Where are you?!" He asked, growing scared. If something happened to his sister...

The Guardians were also growing worried. She was only four, after all. "Damnit! Why didn't I keep a closer eye on her?!" Jackson cursed himself, running through the thick forest until he came to a spot that had eggs behind him, but none before him. "She must've run off around here, somewhere." He looked around for a sign of her, but found no sign of a struggle.

Then, he heard a scream. "PIPPA!" He cried out, running in the direction of her voice. He finally reached a clearing, where his sister was lying on her side, curled up against the roots of a large tree, cowering in fear. A large wolf was circling her, figuring out the best angle to attack from. "Pippa!" Jackson called, drawing the attention of the wolf.

"Jack, you brave idiot!" Tooth smacked Jack upside the head.

"Ow!" He rubbed the sore spot, wincing.

The wolf turned away from the child and towards the boy, snarling. Jackson made a quick motion for Pippa to climb the tree, which she did remarkably fast. Jackson quickly spun and attempted to do the same thing, but slipped on a wet root, and fell. He turned in horror as the wolf leapt, aiming for his throat, but before a single claw or tooth could touch him, something flew out of nowhere and smacked the wolf upside the head.

With a yip and a growl, it turned towards the new threat. Bunnymund appeared from the bushes, boomerang in hand and a fierce look on his features. "Now, now. No need to go scarin' the kids. I've got your meal right here!" He smirked, throwing an egg-bomb as the wolf lunged. The force of the blow made the now yellow wolf second-guess his choice of prey, and he wisely backed off. He'd eat another day.

The Guardians let out a sigh of relief. "You didn't tell us you met Jack?" North raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't remember. I suppose he looked completely different, so I never put the pieces together. Plus it isn't uncommon for me to beat off a wolf or bear to protect a kid, ya know. Especially back then." Bunny reminded them. North had to admit—at least he only visited peoples houses. Easter was more dangerous than Christmas.

"Thanks for that, Kangaroo." Jack smirked.

"I'm a bunny!"

"Whoa... The Easter Bunny?! I thought you were a rabbit! You look like a kangaroo!" Jackson blurted out, making Pippa laugh.

"Hey, I am a bunny!" Bunnymund argued back.

"Thank you for saving us." Pippa chipped in, carefully climbing down from her tree.

"Yeah, thanks! You're way cooler than I thought you'd be!" Jackson grinned, admiring the immortal. Bunnymund chuckled.

"I'm just glad you were okay. Hey, I've got somethin' for ya. Most of the eggs in this area have already been found, so here!" He pulled out two large baskets filled to the brim with colorful eggs and candies. "Happy Easter, little ankle-biters." He smiled, handing over the baskets to the wide-eyed children.

"You know, my parents weren't too happy about that." Jack smirked.

"I'd think not. Knowin you and your sister, you two probably ran around on a sugar-high for days." Bunny laughed, glad he hadn't had to put up with it.

"Yeah, until Ma decided to confiscate the baskets and portion it out for us." Jack pouted, remembering how unfair it had seemed at the time.

"Probably for the best! All that candy will rot your teeth!" Tooth crossed her arms. She didn't understand why Bunny and North couldn't just give out sugar-free candies!

Jack smirked. He'd never tell Tooth, but he'd already corrupted Baby Tooth when he showed her dark chocolate. She'd fallen in love with the stuff. And marshmallows. He made her promise to never tell Tooth, which Baby Tooth was quick to agree. Sure, she brushed obsessively after every sugary indulgence, but she seemed to enjoy the new tastes. Jack found it adorable when the little fairy nearly fell into her first cup of hot cocoa, and landed atop a marshmallow he'd put in there instead. He still had the picture somewhere.

Bunnymund had guided the children back home, making sure they stayed safe and sound before he went on his way, and the memory ended.

The group found themselves in a white room with chairs, a table, couches, a kitchenette, and a fridge/freezer. The pantry also seemed to be stocked (the door was open).

"Where are we now, Frostbite?" Bunny asked. This didn't look like a memory.

"Guardians... I have created a break room for you, so you may rest at any time in the memories. No time will pass in the outside world while you are watching these memories or resting in the room. You may rest at any time, simply ask." Manny explained.

"Hey, would you mind dulling the color a bit? I mean, I'm fine with it since I'm immune to snow-blindness, but the others...?" Jack looked over at the other Guardians where were blinking against the white... everything.

Almost instantly, the room shifted into to warm browns and greens, much like Jack's own home was. "To resume the memories, exit through the front door."

"Cool, thanks." Jack waved his hand nonchalantly and made his way over to the fridge in search of a snack, like this sort of thing happened every day.

"Mate, why are you so calm about all of this?" Bunny asked, confused. "I mean, we're literally watching your life, and the first thing you do is go to the fridge?"

"I think what he means to say, is... are you okay, Sweet Tooth?"

Jack looked up at Bunny and Tooth. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? I mean it's not like we've gotten to any of the bad stuff yet, and I've gotta say; it's nice being able to see my family again." He shrugged as he pulled out some ham, salami, sriracha-mayo, and Swiss from the fridge, and bread from the pantry. He then went about making himself three sandwiches.

"Oh! Do we have cookies?" North asked, checking the fridge for cookie dough. He cheered when he found it, much to Tooth's disappointment.

The next hour blurred by with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, fresh milk, and a nice vegetable stew that Bunny cooked up for everyone.

A/N: I decided that even I wouldn't click on a story with only 2,000 words, so I'm posting more to try to get that count up over 5,000.

Words: 2,174

Pages: 5

Posted 12/25/2018