#it furiates me to have the same people who KNOW how bad coming out can be for a person

[takkamek]

People are always saying they’re allies or even part of the community yet demand others to come out.

[safyresky]

Groundhog Day

February 2nd, 2018

The Groundhog was never wrong.

More often than not, though, the opposite of his prediction came true--especially with the many groundhogs spread throughout North America. Some of them may see their shadow, some may not.

Either way, The Groundhog himself was never wrong. 

Mother Nature had assigned him the duty of predicting how much winter would be left before spring could come because the inter-season squabbling between Winter and Spring, specifically in Canada and the US (the former more than the latter), had gotten very bad. It was a foolproof plan, really. Or rather, it would be. 

There was just one problem.

Neither season listened.

A small crowd was gathered around the burrow, waiting for the groundhog to appear. None of them seemed to notice the white-cloaked figure off to the side, watching the burrow with sharp blue eyes. She held a warm drink and sipped it, lips pursed. She looked cold and calculating, eyes darting up to the sky and back to the burrow.

“It’s overcast,” a chipper voice said. 

“A north wind could clear those clouds any moment now.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“I don’t control the winds,” the white cloaked figure said, hand lightly touching her collarbone, feigning hurt, as if the figure that had suddenly appeared beside her had insulted her gravely.

“Yes you do.” the second figure sniffed, staring up at the sky as well. People seemed not to notice her, either. A remarkable feat, really, considering the flowers that were growing in her orange hair and how leaf like her dress (also covered in flowers) was.

“I would never go so far as to sabotage the hard work The Groundhog lays down for us all.”

“I doubt that,” the redhead said, frowning.

“Well I’m not the one who never listens to The Groundhog in the first place!”

“You take that back!”

She sipped her warm drink. “No thank you.”

“You’ll be taking it back when I get to start early.”

“Just because you got to start early last year doesn’t mean it will be the same this year.”

“The weather says otherwise, sis.”

“Are you quite sure, sister dear? Because if I’m not mistaken, that’s a break in the clouds,” the white cloaked figure said, a delicate smile on her face as she sipped her drink.

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes. Oh look! It’s Willie himself right now!”

“Oh no. No, no no!”

Sure enough, the groundhog by the name of Willie had emerged from his burrow, and was sniffing around, stretching.

“He could still ignore his shadow, you know,” the redhead said, green eyes squinting from the sudden sunlight reflecting off of the snow.

“Then why is he rushing back into his burrow, Spring?”

Spring gasped. Sure enough, Willie had seen his shadow and headed back into the burrow.

“Oh, puddles!” Spring said, stomping her foot.

“Language!” her sister replied, a small smirk on her face.

“I had already started to melt everything! There was mud! The birds were up! Squirrels were rushing around! I finally pushed out your awful cold fronts! Ou, puddles, puddles, puddles!”

Her sister laughed. “Well, that makes Phil and Willie both yeses for a long winter, and you know they’re the official word from The Groundhog himself.”

“The other groundhogs have all said I should come early!”

“See, you’re already starting! Winnipeg Wyn said more winter,” she began, her hot drink floating beside her as she ticked the groundhogs off on her fingers one by one. “Violet in Vancouver was too busy still hibernating to even come out and predict if I stay or not which really speaks for itself, don’t you think? And now, Wiarton Willie has said that there are six more weeks of winter. You know the rules, Spring. I get to stick around.”

Spring was flushed. “Winter you are the worst sister I have, I swear!”

“You’re too kind,” Winter replied. “Now then, I best be off! I have a cold front to bring back and some flurries to scatter, especially here in Ontario. Ta for now Spring darling, see you in six weeks!” 

“Ou she is infuriating!” Spring said, with a jaunty foot stomp. She crossed her arms and huffed as the press moved about and the Mayor coddled Willie. “I should be arriving early all over Canada.”

Spring took a few breathers, calming herself down. Winter was sticking around this year? Fine. The Groundhog had said so and she didn’t want to get Mother upset.

But she sure as heck wouldn’t make it easy for Winter.

---

February 4th, 2018

“I thought I may find you hanging around here, Aunt Spring.”

Spring sighed. Of course her first mark had to be one of his snows. Clearing her throat and putting on her usual happy-go-lucky face, she smiled. “Jack, hello! Why would you think I would be hanging around here, of all sprites?”

“Well,” Jack said, leaning on a tree and crossing his arms, “It’s a bit of a story, really. You see, this was supposed to be a lovely snowfall. Not quite a blizzard, but enough snow to cover the ground in a good few centimetres of the lovely soft easy-to-shovel snow that sparkles in the light and makes everything seem new. My personal best, aside from the whiteout blizzards of course.” His winning grin turned into a grimace. “Until they become sentient, of course. Nonetheless!” he continued, kicking off the tree and making his way over to his Aunt, hands in his suit pockets. “I came, did my job, admired my work and just as I was about to head out noticed that something was not quite right.”

Spring gasped. “Not quite right? Whatever do you mean?”

“I think you know full well what I mean, Aunt Spring.” He stopped in front of her toe to toe, serving her with a deadpan look as he reached out and let a few of the snowflakes land on his palm. He straightened up and looked at them very carefully. “They’re a little too runny.”

“Runny? What, like eggs?”

“No, more like rain,” he replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Those look like your trademark flakes to me,” Spring said, with a tiny toss of her head, short waves bouncing. “Nothing seems off, they look right as rain!” She giggled at the pun.

“Ah, yes,” Jack said, straightening up and chuckling. He blew the snowflakes off of his palm and watched as they rejoined the rest of the snow billowing about. “That’s the problem. It’s wet snow,” he said, glaring at Spring now.

“My favourite kind,” Spring simply replied.

“It’s hard to shovel, it soaks the gloves and turns all of the lovely, lovely white snow into slush,” he spat the last word, pointing down at the dirty road in front of them. A car sped by, a gross squelch sound sending slush flying at the two sprites. “I hate slush,” he added, waving his hand. The slush that had landed on his suit went flying.

“Well I can assure you Jack, this had nothing to do with me. Absolutely nothing,” Spring said with a smile. 

“Sure. Nor did the freezing cold front disappearing yesterday, lifting the extreme cold warning in the GTA, have anything to do with you.”

Spring just smiled.

Jack smirked, his shoulders dropping, his chill air back in place. “I assume then that you heard the good news?”

“Hmm?”

“Six more weeks of winter!”

“Hmm.”

“Very exciting, of course. Mother and I are working overtime and Jacqueline is pitching in as well.”

“Going full force for this year’s winter then?”

“Yup.”

“Ah. I see.”

“Let me put it bluntly for you, Aunt Spring. You can try all you want to warm things up but I can assure you, this winter it will not be easy for you.”

“Then let me put it bluntly for you, Jack Frost.” She walked until she was toe-to-toe with him and looked right up at him, her resolve steely. “You can try all you want to stop me from making things mild but I can assure you, it will not be easy for you.”

Jack grinned. “I do so love a challenge, Aunt Spring.”

[A/N: Heyo so surprise, a new sorta smile shot!!! For the past 3 years I always picture the struggle here in Eastern Ontario between spring and winter leading up to April with Spring and Winter (personified, my own OCs I’ve had for a little while in case people don’t quite follow CS) fighting over control, and it always gives me giggles. 

I decided this year I’d go through with it! It always begins with The Groundhog's decision, because when Winter gets to stick around Spring makes sure it isn’t easy, and when Spring gets to arrive early, winter immediately puts Jack and Jacqueline to work in order to do everything possible to prolong winter time. 

This year, Phil and Willie, the American and Canadian Groundhogs (the most popular ones, a the very least) respectively, decided that we would get 6 more weeks of winter--so we get to watch a very frustrated Spring throw a bud or two into the winter time things! It’ll focus on Canada and America specifically, more so in Canada because uh, I’m from here heh. I’ll be updating this with the weather, whenever it gets crazy, up until March-ish when Spring is officially here. I hope you all enjoy this! ya girl slacked on this so ah, ah well]

A Small Works Cited:

Info on Groundhog Day results in Canada: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/groundhog-day-2018-1.4516220

Info on Groundhog Day in NA for those unfamiliar with it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day