Secret of Frost and Moon

Moon and Tsar

Alaia Skyhawk: Here you go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

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Chapter 77: Moon and Tsar

Jack continued to allow himself to be towed by Bunny, as the Pooka took the both of them deeper and deeper into the Warren. These older parts were similar and yet starkly different from the newer and 'planty-er' sections. Here the chambers were filled with machines and gizmos of all kinds, and little egg-bots tottered around keeping the place tidy. Some of the egg-ish fellows actually paused in surprise at seeing their maker, who clearly didn't come to these workshops that often anymore. But this wasn't Bunny's destination, that much was obvious when he stopped to open a door that literally groaned in metallic protest before it grudgingly opened.

A blast of stale air came through it, causing both Jack and Bunny to cough, and the Pooka winced in apology.

"Sorry, it's been a long time since I locked this place up."

Jack gave him a long look.

"Just how long would that be? If we'd been mortal, the air coming out of there would be suffocating us right now."

"Last time I came out of there and locked up... was after the last time I flew back to this planet ahead of the Lunanoffs and the Moon Clipper."

Jack started at him, eyes wide.

"The last time... Wait, does this lead to-"

Bunny pulled him through the door, their entry causing rows of lights along the sides of the chamber beyond to gleam into life. The entire room was cloaked in a layer of ancient dust, and in the centre an oddly shaped mass stood on a tripod of metal legs.

Bunny sighed when he saw it, his ears folded back and his expression wistful.

"My hangar, and my ship. This thing hasn't been used in over fifteen thousand years."

As the Guardian of Hope started off towards his dust-cloaked craft, Jack gaped after him.

"Wait, how do you know that thing even still flies?!"

Reaching it and brushing back some of the dust to reveal the gleaming golden colour beneath, Bunny glanced back and smiled.

"Were Ombric here, he'd be asking why this isn't made up of egg-shapes like every other of my vehicles he's seen. Thing is, I didn't build this." He patted it. "This here is the standard class of ships, built and used by the Pooka Brotherhood. Mine is called the 'Starlit Tide', and these ships are built to last a lot longer than fifteen thousand years."

Jack flew over, curiosity replacing his startlement as he summoned a gust of wind to clear the air and sweep the dust from the spaceship. It was golden from nose-to-tail, with silver scrolling details down the sides, and three odd protrusions stuck out of it at the sides and top towards the rear. Yet what puzzled him most was the lack of apparent outlets for 'thrusters' or propulsion of any kind.

He circled it, baffled.

"How does it fly? There's nothing to push it forward."

Bunny laughed, flipping open the hatch on the side of the minibus-sized craft.

"Get in, and I'll show you."

Bunny leapt gracefully through the hatch and immediately sat himself in the single chair visible through the curved window at the front of the Starlit Tide. Jack flew in after him, but didn't sit in the single obvious passenger seat behind and to the side of the pilot's chair. Instead he lightly gripped the back of Bunny's seat, so he could float there and look over the Pooka's shoulder.