Twelve Days of Spring

Chapter 2: The Easter Bunny

It was one of those many restless night for Nicole.

She clenched her teddybear tightly. A soft murmur left her lips.

"Who are you?" she said to the dark figure in her dreams.

The figure took a step forward.

The light of the bulb fell on a soft crimson jacket with white trim, but their face was still hidden in the darkness below a crimson hat with a soft white edge.

The figure raised their arm and pointed at Nicole. A deep voice boomed: "Nicole, I am your -"

Nicole strained her eyes to see the figure's face. "Father?"

Something stirred as the figure moved into the light. The hat they were wearing moved slightly and a white fluffy tail suddenly stuck out.

The tail was followed by a small rabbit's face. It smiled sheepishly.

The rabbit grabbed the hat and pushed it off its head. It then leaned on the sturdy cardboard neck.

The rabbit stroked its fluffy fur into place.

"Hi," the rabbit said. It made little rabbit finger guns as it winked. "I'm obviously not your father. That would be weird..."

The rabbit slowly rolled its eyes and then looked at Nicole. A flash of energy jolted through the rabbit making its fluffy tail bounce. "But I do know where he is, just follow me!"

The rabbit hopped down on the floor, up a table and back onto the shoulders of the Santa suit. It looked over its shoulder and signed Nicole to come closer.

Nicole hesitated: the rabbit was still a stranger to her. "How do you know my father?"

The rabbit cleared its throat. "Let's just say we're in the same kind of... branch.

But I'm a lot smarter and cuter than him, obviously. Just look at how fluffy I am! And I did find you while he still doesn't even know who you are. I'm the smartest, after all!

Now come on. Let's go meet your father."

"Hang on. What? Who are you?"

The rabbit drooped. "Do you really don't know who I am? Kid, that hurts me a lottle. I would say a little, but it's a lot.

Come on, think. Fluffy tail, cute long ears, me knowing who you are."

The rabbit wiggled its tail. With its front paws, it framed its face as it looked over its shoulder. "I'm your favourite Bunny!"

"Mister Fluffy wasn't white."

"Mister Fluffy wasn't a bunny. He was a rabbit.

I am a bunny and not just any bunny. I am the one and only..." The bunny gestured at Nicole to fill in the blanks.

Nicole, however, had no idea who that bunny was nor what the difference between a rabbit and bunny was.

The bunny drooped once more. "I am the Easter Bunny. Rocket is the name."

"But the Easter Bunny isn't real..."

"You aren't either, but do you hear me complain? No? Great. Now let's go!"

Rocket grabbed Nicole's arm.

He hit a button on the Santa suit. A portal appeared where Santa's head would normally have been.

"Hold on tight!" Rocket grinned and pulled Nicole into the portal.