In honor of me graduating high school on Thursday, I want to give all of you a week of one-shots. I am going to put an update everyday, until Thursday night when I graduate then I will start back the next Monday after I get home from vacation. I hope everyone is good with this!
Jack realizes his time really is altered after realizing he's been gone longer than he thought. He makes a final decision at the end, that really won't take that long.
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ten months
Jack was flying when he just stopped. He couldn't really remember when he started flying actually. It was after the milk incident, he had left the Pole and now he was flying. But what was feeling so wrong?
He looked around the sky line of New York feeling as if there was something he was missing. He turned to look at the bill boards seeing if the news was showing something, when he noticed the date. His eyes widened when he realized it had already been another two months since he last visited anyone. It felt like only yesterday he was telling Baby Tooth to spill the picture of milk.
Jack took off towards the Warren, where he told himself he would go next. He knew it was night time when he got there as he wondered if anyone was up. He landed in the grass that he missed so much as he looked around. The glowing flowers shown bright as he walked around. There were some eggs that were awake running around. He saw the burrow up ahead but didn't want to go in just yet. He turned to go down the long tunnel leading to the other Warren.
When he got in there, he saw that it was just as big as the original. He wondered how they could make it that fast. Did they dig this out or was it magic? He would have to ask that when he got back and possibly out of being grounded. He knew it would happen no mater what the women said. His father knew the only way to keep Jack somewhere was to ground him.
He walked past many burrows that must be the homes of all of the others. How many Pooka's did his power bring back? He saw how they all kind of looked the same, a carved out large hole in the wall that was dug out like a rabbit. He shook his head with a smile as he could finally tell his father this was more proof that he was more like a true rabbit. Jack walked up to a larger burrow out of all the other ones and his curiosity got the best of him.
Jack walked through the curtain covered doorway. There were no real doors on the openings just thick curtains. It made sense that someone so in touch with their instincts and with nature wouldn't want a door. He looked around for any hint of who this could belong to when he came across an old picture on the wall. His breath caught as he saw a picture that was taken of him and Bunny a while ago. It was next to another picture of him and Bunny, after falling in the paint river.
He knew Bunny wouldn't just move so who could this be? It was when he turned to look at the wall that he saw which weapons holder was on the wall. Ares had the staff like weapons not boomerangs. He winced as he realized he was just in his grandparents house. He took off, flying out to go back to his home.
The kitchen area had been recently used which made him smile. Aster never really used the kitchen, just eating the vegetables out of the garden after washing them off. He would use the kitchen to make Jack eat unless they went to raid North's kitchen through a tunnel. Jack walked to look through the things on the counter to see other things rather than veggies, there was actually fruits. He knew that was all Lilly.
Jack walked towards the bed rooms as he just walked around. He came to the door of his Dad's room, peeking in like a little kid. He saw Lilly sleeping peacefully but no sight of Bunny. Jack frowned as he didn't see the rabbit outside when he was exploring. He looked down the hall to see a slight glow coming from his room. Jack knew why and sighed as he headed to his room.
Sure enough, Bunny was sitting on the edge of his nest with his old sketch book. Jack had artistic skill but only used it for new designs on snowflakes. He wasn't quite ready to start drawing other things. He walked over to sit next to his father to see that he was just looking through the book. It was a while before Bunny suddenly shifted, his ears twisting and turning while nose twitched. His head turned towards the area where Jack was.
"Sneaking in after curfew, I feel like we've been here before." Jack laughed at the quite joke told. He watched his father shake his head before closing the book, placing it on the table before standing up. He looked around as he crouched down using his senses to locate the change of energy in the air. Jack tilted his head as the sight almost hit him but not quite.
"I can't hear you but I know you're here. You may not really be here but right now you're grounded. At least stay here until the morning, it'll help me sleep." Jack smiled as the other walked out the room blowing out the candle. He turned to look at his nest but got an idea.
He waited until he knew Aster would be right on the edge of sleep before sneaking in their room like a child. It wasn't weird for him to do this considering he had done it so many times before. He knew it was different now that Lilly was here, but it felt right. He moved to lay behind Bunny and noticed how the fur on his back stood up before his father's head turned back away from Lilly's forehead.
"When you come back, this won't be a common occurrence."
"If only you could hear me, because yes it will." But Bunny had already turned around curling back against Lilly as Jack laid himself across the head of the nest, his head laying against Lilly's as his hand touched his father's forehead. It was weird but it was the way he felt safe. They were there.
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one year
It was the sight of an Easter sign that got his attention. He flew down to look for a date to find that it was two weeks after Easter which made him feel so guilty. He had told himself he would come back for the holidays but his days felt so fast. Again, it was like yesterday when he snuck in the Warren to sleep. It had been two months and he didn't know how to feel with his lapse in times. This couldn't keep happening, he was going to have to choose.
He flew to the Pole, he knew that two weeks after Easter is when he went away. It had been one year. He came up to the window to see everyone in the Globe room, even the Seasonals. He leaned against the window pane as he just watched for a while. It was nice to see everyone he cared for in one room. The thing he was loving most was the smiles that were on Pitch and Bunny's face.
He knew when he came back that they both would be on him at all times but that didn't bother him. Jack had more than one parent now. He slowly moved into the pole but stayed in the rafters. It didn't feel right to make it known he was there right now. Jack wanted to see just how everyone was doing without him there. He noticed that the Seasonals were here, all playing around near the elves. It was his elves. They were all playing. Jack smiled, at least they were having someone for now.
Jack looked directly down at Tooth to see her, Emily, and Eleanor all gathered around the table just talking. There were times when Tooth would break away from the conversation to tell her fairies where to go but it was few times. He felt happiness at seeing that she was finally relaxing more, he knew it was because there was more women for her to bond with.
North was showing something to Ares and another Pooka he didn't recognize, apparently something new with how he was handling it. They all looked very interested in it, making Jack wonder just how new it was. He turned his head to try to make it out and couldn't help but snort as he figured it out. North was holding a hoverboard. He could have sworn he showed the man what that was.
Aster was off to the side by Sandy, watching Denver, Lilly, and another Pooka he didn't know playing chess. The other pooka and Denver looked very serious as the others watched in amusement. Jack wondered who the other Pooka's were. Are they relatives or just a part of the tribe? He looked around wondering were Natasha was. He finally found her beside some of the yetis working on a new wooden structure. That was definitely North's sister.
"HEY! That's mine, you brat!" He turned to see Crystal trying to yank something away from Tinsel, the little elf hanging on for dear life. Jack felt a surge of protectiveness go through him at the sight of his favorite elf getting picked on. Only the other elves and him were allowed to mess with the little guy. He didn't even allow North near his elves.
"Crystal! Leave them alone, you know not to mess with them!" He watched Seraphina get mad from where she had walked up beside Tooth. Crystal didn't stop trying to pull it away but unfortunately pulled to hard. She yanked it, making it move sharply. With the elf being as light as he was, it was like she threw him as he flew through the air, landing hard on the floor with a cry.
Jack quickly jumped down, landing right beside the elf, wishing he could be seen. His little friend was crying and there was nothing he could do. He winced at the sight of the little arm bent in the wrong direction. North tried to walk closer to him as everyone closed in but Tinsel cried out again and ran away. Jack cursed, turning around to see everyone watching the little elf. He saw Crystal and watched as her face went from shock to sadness and he realized that she didn't know how to play carefully.
"Someone's got to get him, his arm was broken." He looked up at Natasha who had magically appeared as she looked in the direction that he had ran. Jack stood up to back up but didn't move quick enough as her arm went through his. This time he didn't feel anything but he still got hit with the emotion. He couldn't do this.
"He isn't going to come to any of us. Tinsel only listens to Jack." Tooth was biting at the corners of her fingers. Jack turned to the table that the elf ran under because Tooth was right, Tinsel wouldn't come to anyone else. He looked around to see Baby Tooth on Denver's shoulder. There was his solution.
"Hey, Baby Tooth." She turned, squeaking loudly as she jumped up to fly right in front of him. He heard some people release deep breaths as if they were relived she was noticing him. He pointed towards Crystal which made little fairy look at him as if he lost his mind. It didn't look as if it made sense but it made every bit of sense. All the elves wanted was to be noticed, they were basically little children. The only thing that would fix this would be an apology.
"You gotta tell her she's got to apologize. You know the elves are like five year old's, all he needs is an apology." Baby Tooth nodded. She turned to her mother, telling her what needed to be done. Jack wished there was an easier way to communicate with them this way because needing two translators made him frustrated.
"Jack says you need to apologize to Tinsel, to remember the elves are like little kids and you just hurt one." He watched Crystal frown, she was to stubborn to ever do apologizes but Jack hoped she'd put pride aside for right now. He watched as his friend stood up and walked over to the table. Jack made his way beside her, kneeling down beside her as she pulled the table cloth up. Tinsel glared at her.
"Uh, listen...I'm sorry about yanking the thing away from you. I'm not used to playing with a person smaller than my calf." Jack turned to watch Tinsel, watching as he seemed to analyze her. He smiled as he watched the little elf nod before running past her to go to North. It was Natasha who leaned down to pick him up.
"Let's go get you to the infirmary, wrap up that arm of yours." Jack smiled softly at the care she showed the elf, even North didn't treat him that softly. He looked around as some people glared a little at Crystal. He turned to see Baby Tooth right beside him, Jack felt a little sadness being here now realizing no one could see him. It was a decision he made quickly but couldn't help it. This was harder than he thought.
"Tell them I won't be coming back till it's time for me to wake up. It's hard to be here for me, but tell them to hold it together. It's just one more year." He didn't let a reaction show at the little fairy got a sad face but nodded anyways. Jack took to the air, flying towards the window. He turned to see Tooth relay the message.
"Wait, Jack!" He shook his head, turning from his father's voice. It was harsh but had to be done. Jack knew this year would move fast for him just like the months had. He just needed to blend with the wind for right now.
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Jack's time is off by a lot, at least it will help him get through it, right?
guys, I need your help!! We have new characters, new Pooka's, and new backstories! if you want, drop some names for ideas on the tribe members, maybe an idea for one-shots about the certain new characters with Jack.