It just dawned on me that this book is nearly six years old.
The book be like: "Damn, so this is how humans grow old."
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A Small Treat
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Every one laid on their backs, panting and watching the last of the souls flew up to the makeshift sky. They were particularly traumatized that even the scenery around them doesn't feel too real anymore— which was true yet again. (Y/N)'s gaze weren't up at her sky, she was in deep thought, an endless thought of all the things she has to do and hadn't done. It took a moment for her to finally rise from her position, hovering towards her now empty pavilion. All entrances to her domain were closed by her in order to recuperate with the amount of corrupted pure souls, it was the right call and seemingly had to be on hold for the time being.
The problem now rests within the Guardians who had risked their mentality to help her through. And as a token of gratitude, (Y/N)'s hands rests on the marble floor, a splash of white rippled across for the entirety of the domain.
Jack squinted his eyes as the night sky faded into a shade of orange and blue, his vision left with temporary blindness that he had to blink twice. He sits up, his jaw dropping at the familiar sound of the ocean, he others had risen as well and seemingly more confused than he was. It seemed that they've moved into a beach spot, white sands and flying seagulls, an illusionary place that only one Guardian could forge.
"From what I can tell, this is where most people go to relieve all their stress," (Y/N) conjures a folding chair and an umbrella, duplicating it to accommodate all five of them, "Please enjoy yourselves for a while. This is the least I could do."
The four of them looked at each other and the scenery around them, they indeed need a little relaxation to take their mind off of everything that had just happened.
"Heads up, kangaroo!" Jack jumps up and attacks, hitting the ball to the other side of the net. In terms of raw strength, the pooka will always have the upperhand, the winter lad had to be smart in order to win, and so far, he and Bunnymund had a score of 11-8. Sandy floats on the sea with a swimming ring with a cocktail in hand, North stayed with (Y/N) for a chat under the shade. It's the most normal thing they've ever done in decades that's similar to human mortal's activities, and no one could complain about it.
"I fear that this place isn't safe any longer," North sets his drink on the circular folding table, sitting up with his legs falling back to the sand, "We cannot allow whoever entity it is who's stealing the souls to keep doing it for long. Once this happens again and we won't be here to aid you.... " He sighs, his heart dropping at the intensity of the situation he had faced with her, "You must've been through that a billion times already, but I can't allow you to handle this on your own. Now that we've seen what you were facing, we'll aid you to the best of our abilities... but we can't be here all the time."
(Y/N) knows that, yet she doesn't expect them to help in her situation, granted that they too have duties on their own. "I understand. In our circumstances however, I think I may have a good proposition." The bearded man listened intently, an idea that seemed to fit with the ideal outcome they needed was laid out without an ounce of doubt from the man, it was absolutely brilliant.
On the other hand, someone tapped Jack on the shoulder and he turns around seeing Sandy making figures above his head, pointing towards the pooka as they gave themselves a ten minute break from beach volleyball. Understanding the notion, the boy—whose name indicated fun— now had a wide mischievous smirk on his face.
The bunny looked far beyond as if something more could be out there, but all of this is only a piece of the world that there is inside this hidden sanctuary. Bits and pieces of what he encountered came back as a flashback, but not as clear as he knew it went through with the help of the female guardian. As impressive as it might be, there's always a limitation to its beauty, like life and death, it's what's inscribed in his mind after a long journey that took them merely a few hours. In his homeworld, there are wonderful things you could adore. The life of a planet that never looses and never changes. A planet full of creatures like him, he's now the only emissary of the fabled brotherhood of the Pookas—the league of philosophical warrior rabbits of imposing intellect and size. He desired to join his brotherhood among the stars, but his fate as a Guardian stood still as an unmoving hourglass, with its sand now stuck in the middle, never aging, never dying.
All these thoughts flooded into him for some reason, a well-kept topic that he tried to forget as years go by. He was distracted enough to not notice the presence behind him. He stumbled forward as a hand pushes his back, diving head first into the water.
North had been glancing their way for a while, but never had he laughed as loud as he did now as he saw his comrade drenched from head to toe. (Y/N) cocks her head to the side, wondering why they were laughing. Their visions greatly differ from the woman as her grey eyes could only see silhouettes of any creatures' souls, in this case, she thought it was because he tripped.
"You've done it this time, ya bloody wanker! Get back here!" Bunnymund chased him until he's sunken deep into the water. Seconds later a strong wave buries him down under, forget about the white-haired lad, he needs himself back dry. The pooka got out of the sea and shook himself, his fur unnaturally sticking all over, which made the other three laugh even more.
Unfortunately, the fun had to end soon as the Sandman obviously has duties to be done outside the zone. He was the first to be excused and left after saying his goodbye to the glowing woman. All that's left were to discuss the plans they've had, and witnessing it first hand proves for it to be critically agreed upon today.
"So what you're saying is she needs to move in with one of us?" asks the pooka.
"Correct. Mine would be sufficient, but seeing as it was easily intruded before, the lack of security I can provide for her would be way less than what we required. I figured... you could handle the job, Bunnymund, seeing as you've just finished Easter. Jack can provide support if he can, right Jack?"
His eyes widens, stepping one foot backwards from the group, "Wha— Me? No, no, no, mate. I ain't sure I can protect her more than any of ya. What about Tooth? She's also a woman, she got an army of fairies to look out for her."
"Toothiana and I are on an.... ill-disposed terms. It would be best not to bother her," she briefly stated, causing for the Guardian of Hope and Fun to raise a brow. Their Toothiana who had been the most compassionate had grudges against (Y/N)—which was something they didn't expect.
North clears his throat, continuing his persuasion, "As Sandy is a guardian whose always everywhere and is taking care of people's dreams, the candidate left would be the both of you. And since Jack doesn't really have a place to keep still, then yours is the last option." His large hands grabbed his furry shoulders, looking him dead in the eye, "If whoever it is who steals the souls had come into the Warren, you would have enough power to stop the similar thing from happening. You are our hope here, Bunny."
His brows furrows, glancing towards the floating woman in a hydrous gown. All his instincts told him to refuse, but seeing as none of them can truly accommodate the needs required to secure her safety, the pooka will have no other choice but to abide with the conditions. He'll be burning the midnight oil until all things settle down and the soul stealer was caught.
The passages had been reconnected to her, but directly to the ends of her skirt. (Y/N) transfers all of them back outside and is once again— after a few centuries— flocked by at least a thousand souls of the innocent that she's forced to look into without a pause.
"For now, we should probably shake them off our trail. Whoever it is, I doubt they'd just disappear after figuring out her whereabouts," the rotund man cracks his knuckles and pulls out a globe, whispering their destination before shattering it on the ground. "Better hurry."