I have come up some names for Pooka's I am going to include, one name being from Angie one of my frequent readers (Ridley). When writing these next few chapters, I realized I named two people Andy on accident so if you see it put twice just let me know and I will change it to the real name.
I am also bringing in an old character arc ;) I will bring them in this chapter but the next few will go back to one-shots of the new families before I begin the next arc. You will see who in the end.
I will admit, I have written the next four chapters all in this week...
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almost two weeks later
"Jack, get back here!" Aster watched with a small smile as Jack ran from his brothers, Liam and Ridley, as he held their weapon holders. Ridley was older than him by two years but acted as if he was the same young age as Liam. In human terms, Aster was twenty-two, Ridley was twenty-four and Liam was twenty-one.
It had been a week an a half since Jack had came back an Aster couldn't be any happier. His whole family loved Jack just like he knew they would. His smile grew as he watched Jack use the wind to jump over Lilly before hiding behind her. Lilly had immediately taken Jack in as their kit too, even without him having to say anything. Apparently, she had been watching them for a while just like the rest of the tribe had.
"Ah, Mom help!" His ear twitched at the playful scream as Liam finally caught Jack from behind the women. He hid his big smile behind his fist as Jack squealed from being tickled. It was good to see the boy so relaxed and loved. He knew the Guardians were a family for Jack but this was different. He could tell Jack felt more belonged here.
"AH, YUCK! YOU OVER GROWN FURBALL!" Liam laughed as the kid groaned because he had licked the side of his face. There was laughing from all around in other groups. Liam remembered his tribe being calm and collective and they were when brought back but with Jack around everyone was more relaxed and humorous. If that made sense...
"Liam, Ridley, get off of him! You're squishing him!" Their mother walked up from the gardens with a stern face as she looked at her sons who have apparently jumped Jack. They got off of him, taking their weapon holders back and putting them on just as Aster had his around his back and chest. Jack sat up, staying seated as he glared at the older two.
"That was totally unfair." Ridley snorted as he pushed Jack back down.
"Life's not fair, snowball." Jack rolled his eyes as he got back up, grabbing his staff and taking to the air. He landed next to his father who was looking at him with a raised eye-brow. He huffed as he crossed his arms, yeah Jack Frost was pouting. Jack loved being in the Warren and playing with everyone but it was weird having others get his attention and Bunny's. The new attention was making him nervous, it was a little overwhelming.
"What's wrong, kit?" Aster looked Jack up and down to make sure he wasn't hurt anywhere that he was trying to hide. Jack just shook his head looking back out at everyone making him frown. Something was wrong but he couldn't tell what. He turned his full attention on Jack who was doing his best not to look at him.
"Jackie, what's going on?" His kit glanced at him before looking back out at the field then back again. He twisted his toes in the grass before picking at the staff in his hand. Aster took in the signs of Jack's nervous ticks that he had noticed over the years. Jack finally sighed before glancing back at him,
"It's weird." He said quietly, Aster bent his knees bringing himself to Jack's height. He knew when Jack got this way he would be nervous at the smallest things, especially height.
"What's weird?" He understood why Jack was speaking softly so no one else would hear. They were on the hill far enough away that no one could hear them. He waited patiently on Jack to get his words together before he said anything. His ears twitched to the sound of someone walking up to which he looked sharply at them. He subtly shook his head at his mother to stop her.
"It's just weird having everyone here. Don't get me wrong, I love it. It's amazing but it's just...overwhelming." Eleanor's face softened at the fatherly look on her son's face. She never thought she'd see the day her middle son finally had everything he wanted but here they were. Jack's words were understandable, enough that it was something she had shared with the whole tribe. She was nervous on how Jack would talk all of them being there.
"Would it make you feel better if I said I felt that way too?" Jack fully looked at his father this time as he admitted it. He looked back at all the other pooka's before moving close to Aster. Bunny had realized ever since Jack came back he was more touch deprived but tried to hide it. He sighed before throwing an arm around Jack's shoulders, bumping his nose on the side of his head.
"It's understandable, kit. We are used to it just being us here but now there's a lot of family. They understand if you need time." Jack nodded but tensed up when he finally noticed Eleanor who had a soft smile beside them. She finished walking up but took the same route as Aster by kneeling down on her hind legs to be the same height as the boy.
"Hello, Jack." He nodded back with a small hi that made her just smile more. She had noticed he was still a little shy around her and Ares but knew because of his memories, his human life he never knew his grandparents. The position in the family was new to him. Jack looked back over at all the people that were still helping out with some of the eggs for Easter.
Jack's senses went on a high as he heard someone coming up behind him. He quickly turned raising his staff a little until he noticed it was just Ares. The older Pooka stopped, turning his slightly nervous expression blank as the staff was pointed at him. They all knew Jack was very, very powerful. They also knew that even with the power being changed to bring them all back, Jack still had a power boost inside of him.
"Easy, Jack." Aster said it quietly. He glanced over at Eleanor who was looking between her husband and her grandson. She didn't know what exactly had Jack on edge, whether it was all of them being here or him getting used to coming back, but she hoped it wouldn't hurt anyone. They had seen Jack with his power and it was not something to be messed with.
"Come on, Jack. Let's go check on the river." No one had seen Lilly walk up but her arrival made Jack relax as she steered him towards the paint rivers. There was nothing to check on but she saw from a distance the tension. It also was no hiding the wind's sudden chill that came to her. Everyone had noticed how the wind would move around the Warren softly while Jack was there.
"Aster, I think you need to let him go to a cold place. Just to get out some energy." He looked towards his father who made the suggestion. It would probably be a good idea. He would bring it up later tonight.
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It was Lilly who brought it up that night. Aster had gotten distracted with helping some of the other men because of one of the big Egg golems fell in the paint river. Jack sat in the kitchen, bouncing his leg up and down while he waited for Lilly to get done. She refused his help with fixing the dinner plates. He broke out of his zoned out state as she placed the salad in front of him, a smile on his face when he noticed the blueberries.
"Don't tell your father, you know how he gets when someone eats his blueberries." Jack laughed as he started to eat. It was half way through his plate and hers when she brought it up.
"I've noticed you've gotten antsy this week." Jack glanced up with his fork in his mouth to meet her eyes. He slowly chewed as he thought on how to answer. He didn't want to outright say that he wanted to leave, to go to somewhere with snow. He didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by wanting to leave so early.
"You don't have to explain, Jack. You are the spirit of Winter and you just came back from being asleep for two years. I can understand you need to feel your winter power." He released a breath he didn't know he was holding at hearing her say that. He poked at the big piece of lettuce as he tried to figure out how to say it.
"I didn't want to hurt Dad's feeling by saying I wanted to leave. I knew that it would be a while before his instincts calmed down and yours, so I didn't know if I could say it yet or not." Lilly hid her smile behind her hand as she glanced up at the doorway to see Aster and Ares looking at Jack with soft smiles. These were two men who didn't do good with any emotion but here they were smiling.
She watched Eleanor by pass them by just walking in to grab the plate she made for her. Jack jumped slightly, turning to see her walking in. She bowed her head to hide the bigger smile as she saw Jack glare as Liam then walked in. It was normal to have the family dinners here in the house on Wednesdays. It took a few days when they first came back for Aster to figure out how to interact with them just as it did for Jack to interact too.
"I wanna go if we are going." Jack rolled his eyes at Ridley's words. He had figured out that apparently none of the new Pooka's had been anywhere else other than here and the pole. At the Pole, they didn't go outside so they didn't feel it.
"Leave him be, Ridley. We are going to the Pole after we eat. We can sit inside while Jack uses some of his energy." Ridley shoved his shoulder on Jack's which made the glare go away as Jack became happy. He was going to get to see North and Natasha along with seeing the snow.
"Jack, how did you get so many of my blueberries?" Aster rolled his eyes as Jack shoved a big mouthful in his mouth to avoid the question. He sent a playful glare towards Lilly who just smiled.
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When the hole opened in the Pole, Jack flew out faster than anyone could catch him with a joyful yell. Natasha jumped as she turned away from what she was carving to see Liam jumped out the tunnel after the boy. North came through the doors with a big smile as he watched Jack fly around before looking at Aster.
"Ah, it is good to see all of you. I see Jack is back and better than ever?" A loud yell sounded from the section of yetis as Phil reached up and caught Jack. The boy hadn't gone to see the yetis or elves when he came by after just waking up. Even though the yetis acted like they were annoyed by the frost spirit, they missed him just much as the others.
"Phil, let me goooooo!" Jack complained as he wiggled in the arms of the yeti. He got put down just to be grabbed again. He was going to be here a while with all the yetis. He looked around to see the elves had gathered too. Jack found that he didn't mind that much. He finally got away after almost ten minutes just to be tackled by the elves. It took another ten minutes to get away from them. He went to head towards the Globe room where he saw everyone leaving to.
When he got there, it seems they wanted to have a reunion because Pitch and Emily where here now too. He smiled at Emily as she noticed him, immediately reaching her arms out for a hug. He accepted it gratefully. Jack didn't quite understand why he wanted attention so much ever since coming back but it was fine. It didn't seem like he was annoying anyone. He went to Pitch next to see the man playful glaring at him for no reason.
"What did I do? I just got here!" Jack glared back as Pitch just rolled his eyes before reaching out for a hug too. It was obvious that the emotions where what Pitch was glaring for. Jack accused him of being allergic to them once. He pulled back from the man and walked over to hug Natasha but was tackled from the side.
"Heyyy, Jackie. How ya doin'?" Callahan smiled from where he was on top of Jack. The boy groaned again as the fairy laughed. Jack was getting a little annoyed with being tackled by everyone. He just laid down instead of fighting back.
"Aww, look Tooth he is docile now." Jack growled before kicking out, making Callahan yelp. He sat up to look at the fairy groaning beside him because he kicked his knee. He stood up to see Tooth ready for a hug which he let her have. Jack moved away, his body getting antsy. He looked out the window to see all the snow to which made him move back and forth.
"Jack, go outside and have some fun in the snow." He looked over at Aster who nodded at him. Jack didn't hesitate to fly through the open window. He took in a deep breath of the cold air, flying around and laughing. He didn't go to far as he stayed in the sight of the windows for everyone to see.
Aster watched with his arms crossed as Jack flew in and out of the snow. Lilly stood next to him with a small smile. Ares and Pitch had found the chess table once again to finish their never ending game. Liam and Callahan looked at each other before going out of the window. Callahan jumped Jack in the air and slammed him into the snow with Liam, beginning a snow fight. Eleanor kept an eye on them from the window as her instincts kept her from looking away.
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It had been about two hours of them playing around when Manny decided to show up. Liam had went inside due to the cold on his feet since he couldn't fly which left Callahan to watch the moon show himself to them. Jack looked up as the clouds slowly moved away, leaving the moon light to shine through. Callahan didn't like Manny for many reasons. The main being how he didn't tell them about Jack's deal until he saw it himself.
"Jack come on, let's go inside." Jack stayed in place. He wanted to hear Manny, this wasn't the past anymore. It was immature to continue to ignore the man, after all he was older now and he was given a family. The moon fully showed itself as all the clouds moved and Jack felt the power of the moon light on him. He heard Callahan let out a curse before he saw him take off out of the corner of his eye.
"Manny? What's going on?" A calm feeling went over him with the moonlight which was weird. It was like feeling the power a different type of way.
"Jack? You are not supposed to be awake right now." He frowned at Manny's words. If he wasn't supposed to be awake then why was he?
"Then what went wrong Manny? I've been awake for almost a week an half." He heard silence from the moon. Jack started to become nervous as he picked at the edge of his staff. He heard his name being called at the Pole but didn't look over at them. He was waiting on a response.
"It seems someone used their own magic to wake you up." Jack's eyes widened. No one in the Pole or anyone he knew had the power to do that. Only one person ever seemed like they wanted to wake him early and that was Death.
"Death woke me up? I didn't think that was poss-"
"It was not Death. I suggest you go find Samuel, Jack. It seems he has not stopped watching after all." Jack's breath caught as he remembered his friend he hadn't spoken to since the incident. He turned to see Aster coming up to him with a worried look. That's when he realized he had at some point floated down and landed on the ground.
"Jack, what's wrong? What is he saying?" Jack knew not to mention Sam near any of them. He turned to look back at the moon who had gone quite. It seemed even Manny knew not to mention this one. Jack took a breath before turning to his father and doing something he promised not to do again.
"Nothing, Dad. Everything's fine. He was just checking in."
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uh oh, Jack lied about what's happeningggg, what plan is going through his head? And who is ready to see Sam come back? If you've read my earlier chapters, then you'll know who I'm talking about. But I will say there is going to be a good number of just one-shots between now and the time I bring the Sam arc back.
Here is the name list because I know even I may have gotten confused writing:
Samuel: the demon from earlier chapters
Callahan: Tooth's brother
Natasha: North's sister
Emily: Pitch's wife
Denver: Sandy's friend
Ares: Aster's father
Eleanor: Aster's mother
Lilly: Aster's wife
Ridley: Aster's older brother
Liam: Aster's younger brother
If I get a comment today, I release a descriptions chapter where I'll describe how I see each new character. Is that something you guys would want?