Explore With Me

More Trizra moments AND more Jackrabbit/Frostbunny moments! Gosh, I've been WAITING FOR THIS XD


Also, I think I've tagged in Pitch to this story. You'll see how important he is to this, and you'll see my AU's version on why he wanted Jack on his side from the movie. Maybe... next chapter? Or Chap 6 or 7? Yeah, I'll try that XD


Enjoy!


Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN RISE OF THE GUARDIANS AND STAR WARS REBELS. If I did, gayness will mostly happen.


X


"Bunny? You okay?"


Aster groaned at sound of the voice as he opened his eyes. His vision was a little blurry, but he managed to make it clear again when he rubbed his eyes. He found himself on the floor of his home, with Jack kneeling down beside him and staring down at him worriedly.


"F-Frostbite...?"


"Yep, right here, Cottontail," Jack let out a chuckle and helped the Pooka sit up. "You okay?"


"I... I think so," Aster hissed at the pain at the back of his head. "What... What happened...?"


"Um... I'm Jackson Overland, son of Tristan Overland...?" Jack reminded with a gulp.


"Oh that's righ— bloody hell?!" Aster moved back, horrified. "Are ya serious, Snowflake?! How in—?! Why in the—?!"


"Settle down, Aster, settle down," Jack tried to calm the Spring spirit. "I... I'm still trying to recall everything myself, remember? Lost my memories 300 years ago?"


"O-Oh, r-right..." Aster took a few cleansing breaths until his breathing was steady. "So... all of this is new to ya, isn't it?"


"Pretty much," Jack sighed. "I... honestly don't know if I'm mentally stable to handle more, though..."


Aster frowned, but he understood how the boy felt. If it were his memory box, he wouldn't be able to open it either. He knew seeing the destruction of his kind in the hands of Pitch all over again would be too much for him, and if he would be just as mentally unstable as Jack, he would be hunting down the King of Nightmares for sure.


"You don't have to if you don't want to, you know,"


"I... I know," Jack gave a slow nod. "It's just... I want to, but the same time... I feel... afraid. Afraid to know about my family. Afraid of the truth," (sounds familiar? From SWR Season 1, episode after Empire Day XD)


"The truth's always scary," Aster agreed with a nod. "but... ya know that you don't have to do this alone, right? I mean, you can always go to me and the others if you need help,"


"Wait, really?" Jack's eyes lit up with hope.


"Really, Frostbite," Aster smiled and set a hand on the Winter spirit's shoulder. "You're one of us now, remember?"


"THAT I can remember, loud and clear," Jack giggled, a soft frosty blush appearing on his cheeks as he set his hood down.


"Good. I don't need to keep remindin' you then," Aster snickered.


"So... explore with me?"


Aster's ears dropped flat, feeling his cheeks heat up at the request. Thank the universe that he was a furry Pooka buck, or he would have been a blushing mess.


"Um, sure, yeah,"


"Really?!" Jack was beaming now, his icy blue eyes glistening with relief.


"Yeah, Snowflake," Aster had to stop himself from choking on his throat, which seemed to have dried up as the boy stared up at him expectingly with those... ahem, adorable eyes. "Sure. I'll be glad to help ya explore,"


Jack tensed up a bit as he considered the answer and nodded. He moved to sit beside the Pooka, his legs stretched out in front of him as he took out the memory box from his hoodie. He took a deep breath before carefully reaching out to take the Spring spirit's large, furry hand in his smaller one. He paused a bit and looked up to wait for a reaction.


Aster didn't take back his hand. He WAS surprised, though. His ears flinched at the contact, and he bit his bottom lip while his other hand clenched nervously. Still, he didn't make any move to take his hand back from the cold, yet comforting, hold.


Jack took this as a good sign and smiled, relief washing over him. He gently pulled on the hand and let it hover over the memory box before pausing again.


"You don't... have to do this if you don't want to, you know,"


"If it'll make ya feel better then I want to do it," Aster assured him.


Jack's blush deepened, crawling up to his ears. Feeling his own ears beginning to frost up, he turned away from the Pooka and focused on their hands.


No, scratch that. He DEFINITELY should not focus on their hands. His cheeks and ears were already frosty enough from the closeness. He didn't need to be distracted by the... PHYSICAL contact like holding hands.


Nope, not focusing on it. Not ever.


After taking a deep breath, he slowly lowered both his and Bunny's hands down his memory box. With a touch from both fingers, their surroundings dissolved, and the memory fragments appeared.


[IN THE MEMORIES]


The duo woke up in the cold snow. Aster stood up and shivered. Jack grinned.


"Too cold for ya, Cottontail?"


"Very funny, ya bloody show pony," Aster huffed, removing the dust from his fur. "Where are we, anyway?"


"Don't you mean 'when'?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I know WHERE we are. We're in Burgess, my old home, but I don't exactly know WHEN are we..."


"Winter, most possibly a few weeks before Spring," Aster estimated as he looked around to observe the place.


"Oh, great," Jack groaned. "I bet my younger self will be ecstatic,"


"Why is that?" Aster turned to him, confused.


"Found out last night that my favorite holiday is... Easter," Jack gulped, the blush appearing on his face again. "Which means—"


"BUNNY! BUNNY! HOP, HOP!"


The two winced at the young, childish voice, and they turned to see 6-year old Jackson run out of a shack and into the snow with rabbit-shaped coats, including a snow cap with ears and a pair of pants with a fuzzy rabbit tail.


If Jack wasn't embarrassed before, he surely is now.


The sight of the young Jack— his first closest believer— made Aster coo in awe.


"D'aww, I almost forgot how ADORABLE you were when you were just a little ankle bita',"


"Sh-Shut up!" Jack glared at the Pooka.


"Jackson, what did I say about running out of the house without me?!"


The pair jumped at the familiar voice, and they turned to find young Jackson staring up at Tristan. The man had his arms folded as he glared down at the child, who just laughed.


"Daddy, I'm waiting for Aster!" Jackson exclaimed.


"Jack, it's still Winter," Tristan shook his head. "Aster won't be here until Spring time,"


"But I MISS him!" Jackson whined.


Aster and Jack stared at the father and son for a moment before the Pooka burst out laughing. The Winter spirit hissed at him.


"Bunny—!"


"BWUHAHAHAHA!"


"Can you STOP laughing, Cottontail!" Jack scowled.


"Pfft... if I knew you wanted me so badly, Frostbite, I should've stuck around! BWUHAHAHAHA!"


"SHUT UP, you little—"


"Tristan! Jackson!"


The duo (Jack and Aster) froze the they turned to see a man as slim as Jack come out of the shack, with long midnight blue hair tied up in a cap, two bangs showing up, and eyes of sapphire. He had two scars on his left cheek while he wore a big warm coat over himself to protect himself from the snow and cold. His abdomen was large, like that of a pregnant woman, and he stroked his mittened hand over it like it too.


Jack felt like he was about to faint at the sight of his male mother.


"Mommy! Mommy!" Little Jackson ran to the man, his own pair of sapphire eyes shimmering with delight. "Look! I'm the Easter Bunny's little helper!"


"You sure are, kiddo!" The man laughed and ruffled the small, chocolate brown locks. "You just LOVE to see Aster in Spring, don't you?"


"Ezra, what are you doing out of the shack?!" Tristan had a frown as he approached the other, his partner. "The baby—!"


"Tristan, your sister was born in the middle of a battle field," The other man, Ezra, huffed. "Don't tell ME where to go and not go,"


Jackson giggled. "Daddy made Mommy mad!"


"Yes, he did," Ezra grinned at his partner mischievously. "And since he did, you, my boy, will be the first to feel your sister kick,"


"YAY!" Jackson cheered them he placed a hand on his male mother's abdomen with a gasp. "She kick, Mommy! She kick!"


"Hey!" Tristan pouted childishly and wrapped an arm around his lover. "When can I get a turn?"


"Hmm... maybe next week?" Ezra snickered.


"Ezra!"


"It's a punishment, Tristy,"


"Ha-ha, Daddy in trouble!" Jackson laughed, and soon, the two joined in, the child's laughter too contagious to resist.


This was enough proof for Jack that his... male mother DID give birth to him and his sister. It gave Jack the reassurance of not being adopted, but it didn't settle in with his stomach.


It just seemed... unreal.


"Woah, easy there, mate," Jack gasped as the Pooka held him back to prevent him from falling over. "You alright?"


"Y-Yeah..." the Winter spirit gulped, turning away. "I-It's just that... my mother... he's..."


"A guy? Yeah, I know," Aster chuckled. "I first met him when he was pregnant with you. Thought he was a shiela. Gave me a shock when he told that he was a bloke. Nearly shocked the fur off of me,"


"Did he tell you HOW he got pregnant?"


"Nope," Aster shook his head, neither of them noticing the memory beginning to swirl and dissolve into another one. "I assumed that he was a doe, but he told me that he wanted to tell me when you were old enough to understand,"


"And WHEN would I be old enough?" Jack growled. "I died when I was 15!"


Aster was shocked. Jack had never told them that he died young. He didn't even tell them that he DIED. Well, the Pooka and the other guardians KNEW he had been human, but they had assumed that he became a guardian by chance, not through death.


The silence became so tense that both of them wanted to break it. They turned away from one another before realizing that it was no longer Winter. They looked around and found themselves in the old Burgess village.


"Wow, what a change of scenery," Aster groaned.


"Yeah— Gah!" Jack jumped when a person walked through him. "Argh, even with three hundred years of having people not see you, I STILL can't get used to that,"


"Woah!" Aster leapt to the side when a human went through him. "When are we, anyway?!"


"That's a good question..." Jack looked around.


"You're a freak!"


Both guardians grimaced at the accusation, and they turned to see his 10-year old self being surrounded by a group of kids. Little Jackson had his father's shepherd staff (yes, it's the same one Jack's wielding) in his hand as he tried to defend himself.


"I'm not a freak!" he shot back.


"Your parents are both guys!" One bully spat out. (homophobia at it's worst)


"Yeah!" Another bully agreed. "I bet you and your sister are adopted!"


"I bet they were orphaned because they've always been freaks!" The third bully cackled. "That's why they're family of freaks!"


Suddenly, the gravity felt heavy, and something began to rang through Aster's ears, which shot up to find out what it was. He looked around and was confused to find nothing.


"Hey, Snowflake, can you—"


"ARGH!" Aster's head swiveled to see the Winter spirit on his knees, his hands on his ears as he trembled.


"JACK!" The Pooka immediately ran to the boy's side. "What's wrong, mate?!"


"... head... hurts..." Jack hissed before looking up with wide eyes. "Uh... Aster...?"


"What is it...?" Aster's eyebrows furrowed in concern as he turned to follow the other spirit's eyes.


The duo watched in horror as little Jackson's grip on the staff tightened while his free fist clenched in rage. His eyes suddenly flashed gold, his teeth gritting in fury.


"You can insult ME and mock ME all you want!" He snarled as many objects around him began to hover. "But you can NEVER EVER insult my FAMILY! EVER!"


He sharply pointed the staff to them, and all the floating objects came flying towards the bullies. The boy's screamed and ran away, the objects chasing them as they fled.


"AAH! HELP!" they cried out like cowards while they headed to their homes. "Freak boy's trying to kill us with his weird powers!"


Jack and Aster, on the other hand, were bewildered by the scene. Their jaws dropped at what had happened as they froze in the spot, not bothering to move while they let the memory continue.


A small gasp came from behind them, and they finally turned to see Tristan and Ezra looking down at their son with horrified expressions. Immediately, Ezra handed his sleeping 4-year old daughter in his arms to his husband then he rushed to his boy, kneeling beside him.


"Jack?" The blue-haired male gently cupped the child's cheeks, causing the boy to turn his head to him. "Jack, it's me. It's Mommy,"


"M-Mommy...?" Little Jackson blinked, tears starting to prick his eyes, which had not changed from gold. "Is that... Is that really you...?"


"Yes, it's... it's Mommy," Ezra's voice was shaking, but he pushed away his nerves and continue to whisper softly. "Listen to me. Listen to my voice. Let go of your anger. Breathe in... breathe out... Release it into the Force..."


"The... Force...?" Jack felt his voice weaken as he spoke in confusion.


Jackson's breath was hitching before he shook his head and looked around to find more objects levitating over him and all around them. Panic overtook him, and his eyes widened, his golden eyes now showing fear to replace rage.


"I... I can't control it!" He sobbed, letting go of his staff as he trembled. "Mommy, help!"


Ezra swallowed but forced in a smile. He slowly set a hand on the boy's hair, patting it gently to distract him. He then lifted his other hand and hovered it over the child's face.


Jack and Aster watched, still confused as another deafening ring came through their ears. It felt calmer than earlier, but it still gave the Winter spirit a headache so tense that the Pooka had to hold him back to prevent him from passing out.


"It's okay," Ezra told his child, brushing his hand over the boy's face. "Everything will be okay. You are calm now,"


All of a sudden, Jackson fell into a trance, his eyes half-idled and reverting back to blue as everything around him fell to the ground.


"It's okay." he said, his voice obviously showing the trance. "Everything will be okay. I am calm now."


He then started to sway forward, and Ezra caught him in his arms before the other could fall.


"Ezra...?" Tristan came forward, holding their still-sleeping daughter tightly in his arms. "What happened...? What did you do...?"


"He lost control of the Force," Ezra sighed as he stroked the boy's cheek, snapping him out of the trance. "You alright, kiddo?"


"M-Mommy...?" Jackson looked up at him weakly.


"Yeah, it's me," Ezra chuckled, his throat dry and rough as he forced in another smile while he held him close. "I'm here, Jack. Right here. Nothing's going to take me away from you,"


"OVERLANDS!"


Jack and Aster jumped at shouts of hatred and anger as they all turned to see the bullies and each of their parents. The adults' eyes gleamed in fury, glaring down at the family of four as they gritted their teeth.


Tristan stepped forward to defend, but a hand his shoulder made him stop and turn to Ezra, who stood up and gave him a smile. He motioned Jackson to move to the other man's leg then he calmly took a step forward towards the other parents.


"Yes? Is there a problem?"


Jack was bewildered. How could his mother stay SO calm at a situation like this?!


"You Overland freaks have gone too far!" One of the adults scowled.


"Your kid attacked ours!" Another accused.


"MY kid attacked YOUR kids?" Ezra raised an eyebrow, his hands settling on his slim hips. "That doesn't seem right. As I remember correctly, your kids LOVE to bully mine,"


"Bullying's fine," the third scoffed. "Attacking's another thing,"


"So... you support bullying, but you HATE attacking?" Ezra didn't look amused. "Or is it just okay if YOU'RE kids bully and attack, but it's not okay if others bully and attack them?"


"We're protecting our children!" One of the mothers huffed. "We can't CONTROL them. They're kids!"


"You all CAN control them, but neither of you want to," Ezra crossed his arms. "You don't want to take care and discipline your children. I guess it makes sense since neither of you can control yourselves in making them anyway,"


The adults gasped, jaws dropping at the statement. Tristan himself was shocked but amused, placing one hand on his mouth to keep himself from laughing out loud. Ezra snickered at the reactions and turned around.


"If you're done being your irresponsible, close-and-narrow-minded selves then we can go," he dismissed, walking towards his family. "I have dinner to make. Come on, Jack, Tristan,"


"Whatever you say, dear," Tristan sent a chuckle towards the other parents before walking behind his husband.


"Y-Yes, Mommy," Jack held the blue-haired man's hand and followed after his parents.


The memory began to fizzle and swirl as the family took their leave. Aster blinked for a while then he turned to help the Winter spirit up.


"You okay, Frostbite?"


"Y-Yeah... I think..." Jack's body trembled as he got back up on his feet. "I just... Bunny, do you know what just happened?"


"Erm... kinda," Aster's nose twitched uncomfortably. "I'll explain it to ya once we're out of here,"


"Wait, we aren't out yet?" Jack looked around and found themselves inside the shack, nighttime peeking from an open window.


The inside of the shack was different from how it was in the present time. The place was full of light and life, lots of pictures scribbled by children pasted on the wall, along with wooden sculptures on each table. There were closed wooden doors in each room as the tables and chairs looked clean and tidy.


Jack felt a wave of nostalgia. His memory had been erased, sure, but looking around the place... his old home... it made him feel like he never left. Like he never died.


"Big brother!"


Both spirits turned to find a little girl running out of a room, golden brown eyes shimmering as her midnight blue hair-laced dark brown hair bounced in the speed of her run.


"Woah, woah, slow down!" After her came Ezra, grabbing the girl and hoisting her up on his shoulder. "Take it easy, Sasha. Your brother needs to rest,"


Jack tilted his head at this before swiveling to find his younger self at his bedroom door, looking weak and sheepish, almost shameful.


"M-Mom..." Little Jackson caught his mother and his sister's attentions. "I... can you tuck me in...?"


Ezra smiled and placed little Sasha on the ground. He ruffled her hair and let her pout before running back to her room then he turned back to his son.


"Can't sleep, Jackson?"


"Uh-Huh..." Jackson looked down on the ground, avoiding his mother's eyes.


"Okay then," Ezra moved towards him and picked up the 10-year old then he carried him inside.


Aster and Jack followed the pair to Jackson's room. The Pooka's eyes widened as he looked around the room, his gaze settling on the wooden bunnies all over the room. He snickered.


"Woah, Snowflake, I knew you liked Easter, but I didn't know you were such a fan,"


"Yeah..." Jack's face went frost blue, turning away from the Spring spirit. "I still do like Easter. Why else do you think we have more history than me to the other guardians?"


"Guess this explains that," Aster chuckled.


They soon stopped talking and focused on the scene in front of them.


Ezra set Jackson down on the bed, helping the boy enter the blanket. Once he did, he looked up at his child and frowned.


"Jack..."


"...I'm sorry," Jackson sniffled, and he looked back up to reveal his misty, tearful eyes. "I... I just couldn't stand them!"


"Jack, I know," Ezra sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "but you need to be more careful,"


"They were insulting our family!" Jackson hissed. "They keep saying that we're freaks! I... I can't STAND them, Mom!"


"Don't worry, Jack, I can't stand them nor their parents," Ezra chortled. "It's not really the kids that are the problem. Most of the time, it's their parents teaching them stuff,"


"I... I think Dad's mad at me," Jackson frowned and hugged his knees.


"He's upset, not mad," Ezra reassured him. "But if he is then he'll have to talk to me about it first. You know we can never get mad at you for getting pissed at those nasty bullies. A little disappointed, but it's only because you lacked control,"


"Dad wouldn't even ask if I was fine or not," Jackson sadly said. "He usually does..."


"He does, does he?" Ezra forced a smirk, but both spirits could see him suppressing his urge to burst. "I'll go have to talk to him about that,"


"Hey, Mom?"


"Yes?"


"Are we really... freaks?" Jackson stared up at him with a sad frown. "I mean, there's no one like us before. You got pregnant with me and Sasha, Dad's got blasters that seemed so advanced to the guns of the other hunters, and you, Sasha and I can wield the Force. If we're not like the villagers then... what are we?"


Jack was thinking the same thing. What WERE they?


Ezra appeared to hesitate. He held a breath, trying to find an answer before letting out a sigh. He moved closer to the boy and patted his head with a smile.


"We're not freaks, Jack, but we are different," he told him. "Yes, no one in the village is like us. That's why we live OUTSIDE the village. I... you won't really understand it now, but you will when you're older. As for our abilities, do you know what age I was when I was introduced to the Force?"


"No..." Jackson shook his head.


"I was 14, turning 15," Ezra gave a bitter smile. "I had been adopted by a family that were just as freaky and just as broken as I am. My adoptive father taught me that I was strong in the Force, but back then, I couldn't understand how to wield it without overusing my emotions. Well, I still don't,"


"Are we... never going to be able to control the Force?" Jackson suddenly looked scared, causing his bedside table to shiver uncontrollably.


Ezra noticed this briefly, but he didn't react. Instead, he set a hand on the boy's shoulder.


"Yes," he answered. "No one can fully control the Force. We shouldn't seek to control it, though. We should control our EMOTIONS and UNDERSTAND the Force,"


"I... I don't get it..."


"When you're older, you will. I promise," Ezra leaned over and pressed a kiss on his son's forehead. "Goodnight, ner adiik (my child),"


"Goodnight, buir (mother)," Jackson yawned as he watched his male mother stand up and leave.


Jack and Aster also watched as the memory began to fade away slowly into darkness.


Then they arose in light.


[EXIT MEMORIES]


The duo found themselves back in the Warren, on the floor, where they had chosen to enter the memories.


Aster was too shocked to speak. Tristan and Ezra— two of the only parents who could see him and the only ones to treat him like a normal friend— were the parents of Jack, who had been Jackson, the little boy who had admired him more than anything. He couldn't believe it, but the memories were proof enough for him to believe it.


Jack was horrified, exhausted of all the suspended truth being kept from him as a child. It worsened when he died and when Manny took away his memories. Now that he was getting his memories back, it didn't give him any answer. Just more and more questions. It made him mad, irritated, annoyed, betrayed, and most of all, tired.


He was so tired that he couldn't even hear Aster scream his name as he fell over, letting darkness surround him.


X


Jamie couldn't sleep. Not even when Gia got him and his sister ready for bed and even read a bedtime story for them. He managed to fake his sleep until the teenager was out of his room.


Sophie, however, had fallen asleep only two minutes into the story. Lucky her.


Jamie sighed as he tossed and turned in his bed. His mind was too busy, drifting up into his thoughts.


Gia was different from any babysitter they had, and it was unknown if it was a 'good' different or a 'bad' different. She seemed to really, REALLY believe in the existence of the guardians. There was no fraud in her voice as she spoke to him and Sophie, even when she joked that she wanted to meet them, she sounded sincere.


A true believer.


Well, Jamie wouldn't think that bad if it wasn't for the fact that there was something about her that made him shiver.


Her shadow was abnormal. It was all spiky and in the shape of some kind of demon cat with dark wings. Her eyes shone through her glasses in a way that was abnormal, and her bangles? Her golden bangles didn't look normal. They seemed normal in the outside, but there was a dark shimmer on it that sent shivers down his spine.


Finally, Jamie couldn't take it. He got up from his bed then he walked out of his room. He was walking through the halls when he heard whispers and hisses from the kitchen.


Alerted, he ran. He ran to the kitchen and hid behind the wall. He gulped before looking inside to brace himself.


Gia stood by the kitchen window, tapping her foot in frustration as she stared down at one of her bangles. The golden things were shimmering blue and revealing some sort of holographic image.


"Aaand he fainted," she slapped a hand on her forehead, shaking her head. "Well, at least Bunny will be keeping an eye on him. Guess curiosity kills the cat? Ugh, Jack really needs to talk to a psychologist or something. Maybe North or Sandy could help him out even..."


'Jack? As in... Jack Frost?!' Jamie placed a hand on his mouth to hide a gasp. 'How does she...?! What?!'


"Well," Gia sighed and kept her bangle, straightening her hair. "I'm sure Pitch will be happy to know that Jack's getting his memories back, even if none of the memories shown were about him, but eh, don't really care,"


Suddenly, a strange burst of red magic surrounded her. Jamie covered his eyes from being blinded by the bright light it gave away. When it ceased, he took his arm off his vision, and his eyes widened at the sight.


In the kitchen stood Gia, but her form was different. She was a cat, her fur marigold as the lenses of her glasses had darkened. Her dress was dark purple, with skirt short and web-shaped. She had orange shorts and a pair of long dark purple boots while demon cat tail swung and flicked around. Her bangles were no different, golden and shiny as ever, but in her current appearance, they looked powerful on her.


Jamie stared at her, questions flooding his mind. What WAS she? What was she doing here? What did she want with him and Sophie?


Gia, on the other hand, ruffled her still-long yet slightly-curly dark chocolate brown hair. She messed with the orange choker band around her neck before turning to face the open window.


"Guess I got to go tell Pitch that Jack is exploding his memory box..."


'Wait, SHE WORKS FOR PITCH?!' Jamie really had to restrain himself from gasping aloud, afraid that the teen was going to hear him.


Much to his further horror, two demon bat wings sprouted from her back. They fluttered open and close for a while then she hovered over the floor before zooming out of the house, THROUGH the open window.



Jamie watched as the demon girl left his his house. He was petrified by the truth, confused by Gia's intentions, and worried for Jack and the other guardians.


His legs moved on his own. Before he knew it, he was running back to his room and grasping on one of the emergency snow globes Jack had given him. He took a deep breath then he tossed it to the ground, erupting a bright swirling light...


X


Finally, my OC takes her shine! Btw, she's a demon spirit, resurrected from the Demon Toro Mei (don't know if you guys know her, but a friend of mine told me all about her. Idk if she's a demon follower, though ^^)


Tune in next chapter! XD

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