First Gear

"Why do you need to know how to drive a car? You can ride the wind fer goodness sake. Much faster and no tmund andraffic." Grumbled Bunnymund.

"Come on" whined Jack, "everyone else my age is driving."

"Everyone else yer age? No-one else is 317 years old." Bunnymund gave a small chuckle.

"You know what I mean." Pouted Jack, lightly kicking the tire of the car North had provided. "I know the basics, I just need to practise."

"I don't know how to drive mate and furry paws aren't good for changing gears." Said Bunny waving a huge furry paw in the winter spirit's face.

"Moral support!" boomed North, clapping the Pooka heavily on the back. "Jack wants to drive, we help him."

All the Guardians were assembled on the deserted road and had each agreed to a ride in the car with Jack. Jack had already supplied a circle of a snowstorm everywhere so the roads were closed, but in the centre of the storm, the weather was fine. They didn't want to have to deal with adults who would freak out at seeing a car being driven by invisible people. Jack opened the door of the car North had had the yeti's build just for the occasion (red of course). "Whose first?" he asked, surveying the group for a volunteer. Sandman came forth and Jack smiled, this wouldn't be so bad.

After the first three minutes in the car with Jack, Sandman was glad he couldn't speak, because if he could, he would be screaming and screaming would undermine Jack's confidence and North had made it very clear, this would be a delicate topic for the Guardian of Fun and they needed to be as supportive as possible. Jamie was growing up and had r recently acquired his learners and Jack, from being Jamie's impromptu older brother was starting to feel the gap and was very quickly becoming the younger brother in the friendship. Jamie was already kissing girls and holding hands which Jack still felt unnecessary. Why do that with a girl when you could rather have a snowball fight or think up some kind of mischief. When Jack had told North and Bunny this, they had given eachother a look. They knew what kind of mischief Jamie would soon be into but Jack was still a child and that sort of mischief hadn't quite entered his mind frame, if it ever would.

Now Jamie had his learners and was practising for his license, Jack had come with him a couple of times and was now eager to have a go himself and had roped the other guardians into it as well.

That was all fine and good but currently, Sandman thought he may have a heart attack. Jack drove like he did everything else: fast, wild and plenty of spontaneity. He gave a whoop of joy as he gave a sharp turn. Sandman began forming pictures to try and help steady Jack's driving. Big hand, a stop sign, he was trying to think of a symbol for SLOW DOWN. Jack was looking at him and trying to work out what the little man wanted, Sandman's eyes widened as they sped towards a pole, he motioned to Jack who said, "Sandman I cant read the symbols and keep my eyes on the road.-"

Sandman lunged for the wheel and steered right, avoiding the pole by an inch. He gave a sigh of relief and gave a thumbs up to Jack who smiled widely, "am I doing ok?"

Sandman could see they were approaching the other guardians and nodded, not seeing the harm in a little white lie now that his turn was over. Jack braked sharply and Sandman flew into the windscreen and his mushed face left a sandprint behind as he staggered out the car.

"Seabelt Sandman, very important", said Jack solemnly.

Toothiana gulped after seeing Jack's driving but decided she would use her enthusiasm and maternal attitude to have Jack driving less like a lunatic and more like a civilized civilian.

"Oh my goodness, ok sweetie you're doing fine, you're doing fine STAY IN THE LANE. INDICATE INDICATE! Wrong gear!"

Tooth tried to calm herself down, her mini fairies clinging to her and squeaking in terror.

"Ok I think I got this," said Jack with a smile and looked at the fairies, "bet you guys have never been in a car before? How about some music." He leant down and began fiddling with the radio, was it odd that it was July and Christmas carols where playing?

"Stop playing with the radio and focus on surviving!" yelled Tooth, scrabbling at the door.

"Wait Tooth, I have to stop before you get out!" yelled Jack and braked sharply again. Tooth and her fairies shrieked and chirped and a few feathers went flying.

Bunnymund gave a "tsk" of disapproval. "Yer a Guardian girl, what happened to calm under pressure?"

Tooth ignored him and gave Jack a pat on the back, "work on less speed sweetie but well done."

"Did I do ok?" asked Jack, concern on his face, "you looked … terrified."

"Oh no we were all just so excited to be in a car, was a new experience." Said Tooth, the lie not being very well backed up when she turned to her little fairies, "right girls?" and they all shook their heads.

Bunnymund craned his neck till it clicked and cracked his knuckles, "lets do this."

On the plus side, Bunnymund overcame his fear of the sleigh, however he now had a full out phobia of cars, or metal traps of death on wheels.

When he staggered from the car, he was yelling at Jack and Jack was yelling back.

"You are never getting your license!"

"I cant anyway! I'm INVISIBLE!"

"I told yer to slow down!"

"I was doing my three point check!"

"Yeah? Well I felt I was about to check out! You're death on wheels!"

"Well you're a grouch on legs!"

"BOYS!" boomed North, "that is enough!"

Bunnymund turned on him. "I'd like to see you so calm mate when its your turn!"

"I believe in Jack and all Jack needs is patience." Said North getting into the slightly battered car,"lets go Jack."

To everyone's surprise, as they watched, after a minutes shaky start, Jack drove perfectly. He drove at a decent speed, did his checks, had perfect clutch control, indicated appropriately. When he slowly brought the vehicle to a stop next to the stunned guardians Jack jumped out and gave a whoop of joy. "Perfect!" he yelled, "I got it!" he began fist pumping and jumping around, his excitement bubbling over.

"H-how?" asked Tooth.

"Instead of shouting and screaming, Jack needed someone calm to direct him."

"I'm impressed mate." Said Bunnymund, "nerves of steel-"

Bunnymund stopped and his nose twitched, "Are you DRUNK!?"

North chuckled, "tipsy my friend, tipsy."

"I don't believe it," BUnnymund huffed.

"They don't call it liquid courage for nothing." Said North with a wink,