The Ties of Family (RotG Fanfic)

Chapter 28

Sophie took a step back and viewed the painting, instantly feeling a great sense of satisfaction. The colours blended beautifully and her subjects seemed so lifelike. Her eyes darted to a spot where a blob of black paint had tarnished earlier due to her clumsiness. There was just a shade of sea-green in its place, with a slightly darker hue. Sophie grinned.

"Thanks, Bunny."

"Anything for ya, little ankle-biter."

Sophie turned back to the empty easel and sighed. "One down, twenty or so more to go." She turned to the Pooka who stood beside her. It was so strange to see such a creature in her bedroom, but Sophie was getting used to his frequent visits. She couldn't help but wonder, at times, how she could've stopped believing. Something like that... it was not something you see every day, yet, her belief still slipped.

The door swung open and Pippa came bounding in, not noticing the six-foot rabbit, in fact, passing right through him, before flopping down on Sophie's bed. She squinted at the newly-finished painting, propped up against the foot of the bed. "Not bad," she commented. "Where did you find the time for this, anyway? I thought you and your brother were too busy putting together a book." Sophie didn't give an immediate reply, but continued to stare at the easel, trying to get some inspiration, but at that moment, an empty easel wasn't the best source of inspiration. Bunnymund stayed silent, watching her and Pippa, slightly disappointed that the latter no longer believed in him, but it was pretty normal. Well, at least she still celebrated Easter and had even hid the eggs once. Well, everyone her age believed the adults hid the eggs every year.

"An art showcase is something big, Sophie. Do you think you have the time?" asked Pippa.

"Sure I do," replied Sophie, nonchalantly. "It's not like Jamie and I spend all our hours on the book anyway. Even if it does seem like it, it's him, not me, who harps on it every day. He's actually trying to persuade mom to let him take writing classes, because he isn't actually the writer type."

"Do you think he'll let me read the manuscript?"

"Sure... in your dreams. He says he's too embarrassed to show anything he wrote to anyone else save for a few 'selected' ones." Sophie rolled her eyes before crossing over to her desk and carefully lifting a digital camera. She had recently found a new passion for photography, though she didn't enjoy it as much as she enjoyed painting. She had signed herself up for an art showcase despite Jamie's protests, as it would secure her a place in a good art school in future, which was where she was planning to head to. Turning round to face Bunny, she raised the camera to take a picture, but saw only her bed and the easel in the background on the screen. Cameras simply do not believe in the Guardians.

"You know... you should take a snapshot of Jamie poring over that tome he's writing. Get the expression on his face when he's working, and call it... whatever expression's on his face. That's what they're looking for in your works."

Sophie sank onto her chair, just as the door swung open and Jamie marched in, looking all hot and flustered. His sister raised her eyebrows before remarking, "I didn't hear a knock."

"Well, you don't knock before entering my room anyway," Jamie said, dumping a tin rectangular cookie box on Sophie's desk, in which he kept the manuscript. He was about to greet Bunny, but the sight of Pippa on Sophie's bed stopped him. "But there's something you should know. I think Emily has short-term memory loss."

Sophie's eyebrows shot up higher. "What do you mean? She forgot everything about algebra? Come on, Jamie, that's pretty normal."

"No, she couldn't recognise me. Though she did mention I was 'strikingly familiar'. Her words, not mine."