Brightest {A RotG Fanfic}

Chapter 24 - Ashes In The Snow

UPDATE: Video -> ~[x]~

Track title: "Cosmos Dei"

=====

Chapter 24

ASHES IN THE SNOW 

________________________________________ 

    Stupid, stupid! Why did that have to be a part of the plan? Clara thought as the wind whipped at her hair. 

    "JACK!" she had called out when she plunged to her death off the Great Wall of China; emphasis on the word 'great'. It's going to be a long way down, she thought. 

    And now the panic started to creep in. 

    What if it didn't work? What if Jack's still gone? Find Benny! He can't possibly hear me. It's the South Pole! Oh, my, God! Ground, ground, ground. Nice mountains, though. It'll be the last thing I'll ever see. Oh well -- DAMN IT. Hair. Yuck. Spit it out. Find Benny! Oh no! My neck bandage! Never mind. Golden weapon changed into fingerless glove. Maybe it's the neutral state? Cool, fingerless glove. What about Venus? She can catch me. But she's busy! Find Benny! Tooth? No, no... She's fighting. No! No more fanny pack. Others? The Spirits! Help! Help! Wait, they can't hear me from here. Crap, here! Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Ground. Ground. Ground. Ground. I believe, I believe! Jack Frost. Peter Pan. Tinkerbell. Fairy dust. Happy thought, think, think. I believe. I believe in Jack Frost.  

    JACK FROST, YOU IDIOT WITH AN ICE CUBE FOR A BRAIN, WHERE ARE YOU? 

    "CLARA!" 

    When Clara finally heard Jack's voice, it was like the angels on high have heard her thoughts. "Oh, dear Lord, I'm not going to die," she murmured to herself in crazy relief, a crooked smile on her face. 

    "Clara!" Jack called her name as he caught her, his staff glowing blue. "Oomph!" he huffed as Clara's momentum nearly crushed him. They spun together in the air. 

    "Sorry!" she said and clutched tightly to his neck. Clara forgot to ask him where he was but she didn't care anymore. She was so thankful to see that lock of white hair again. "I'm so sorry..." 

    Jack hugged her tightly as they stopped spinning. "What... in Manny's name... were you doing?" 

    "Never mind that. I missed you. I sent you away." 

    Jack shook his head. He looked at Clara in the eyes; blue saw brown. "You never sent me away. It was the Chaos messing with your head." 

    Clara sobbed. So it wasn't Jack after all. That's why the image of him looked different. He wasn't supposed to be wearing the hoodie, just the white shirt. And Jack couldn't fly without his staff, but the vision-Jack held nothing and yet flew away. 

    "I'm so, so sorry..." she said in a soft voice. 

    Jack flew back up to the Wall. "I'm here now. I'm here." 

    Clara just nodded, wiping away her tears. She remembered the rest of her plan and had to continue it. "Jack, I need your staff," she whispered. 

    The Guardian of Fun looked at her as they landed. "For your plan?" 

    Clara looked at him. "How did you know it's for my plan? Never mind. Remember that time in Nature's Glade?" 

    Jack nodded. "I bet you can use the staff like I can." 

    Clara grinned. 

    Jack gave her the staff, and Clara faced her enemy. The Chaos was attacking the Guardians. Toothiana and Venus were attacking him from above, North and Bunny and their helpers at the sides, Sandy going after its middle, and the other Season Spirits from all around.