A Winter's Regret

Shadowed Violin

Disclaimers: I do not own Rise of the Guardians, nor This is where I belong (Bryan Adams); Hypno's Lullaby [tweaked by me]; Robert Frost's poetry.

Note: Jack never viewed his memories when Pitch threw him into that cavern with a broken staff and Baby Tooth. He climbed out in an attempt to gain forgiveness from the Guardians after the failed Easter fiasco.

All poetry featured in Part Eight and Twelve belongs to me!

Part One

Jack

As I sat nearby on a tree by my lake, I couldn't help but wonder. Will I always be cold? I want to be warm, to feel that fiery heat that sent one message only; I love you…Faces flashed beneath my eyelids, of days gone by, where children lay in bed and their loving mothers leaned over them, whispering sweet nothings into their little ears. Of Christmases where jolly and boisterous fathers stomped through the snowy doorways of their houses, carrying firewood for their fireplace. Watching as they cuddled round, laughing…

Maybe now that I was part of the Guardians I could be warm- No! You will never be loved, my mind roared at me, and then, with a gasp, I remembered- Children crying, cold and hungry, It's so cold, Daddy, I hate it! Mothers tying scarves around their little ones, parting a final piece of advice before they could run off into the wintry wonderland, Don't want Jack Frost nipping at your nose, now do we? And Jamie had said, my little Jamie, my first believer, 'Whose Jack Frost?' His mother had grinned and denied my existence in one foul swoop, with that one tiny word, Nobody.

But I'm not angry, because it's my fault. I am Winter. I made it so cold that children ran home and tilted their heads upwards, towards their parents, with tears writhing downwards on their cherub faces, crying out desperately for warmth. It was I that caused raging blizzards to tear across empty plains of desolate land, allowed them to viciously maul the earth as if it were its greatest enemy. Me who caused icy sleet to coat the roads, where the humans drove their metal objects on, and that very Winter "gift" of mine swallowed their life-spirit. There would be sirens, and then the ambulance, and wailing people. Death.

But you didn't put the ice there, the thought slithered into my mind. Just because I am Winter, does not mean Winter is me. I merely shepherd it, guide it. To control it would require more power than I think I have. It would be like I was everywhere; guiding every tendril of reluctant frost, every vengeful blizzard, every sly sheet of ice…I would not be me, but something else. Would that not be best though? Then nobody would get hurt, and the children would be happy. But how? How do I become the true embodiment of Winter? And then I remembered; the Man in the Moon. Manny knew all; saw all. He would know. He must know. I sighed a world-weary sigh, and jumped down from my frozen perch in the tree. I drifted downwards, as gentle and light as a snowflake. They don't know how much work goes into a single snowflake, I clenched my teeth. They see them as annoying nuisances. The Easter Bunny flashed into existence behind my eyelids, his face twisted into an irritated scowl as he brushed away my creations. You deserve it! All those people that died, that FROZE to death! YOU KILLED THEM. You're a murderer. Worse than anything Pitch could've concocted.

Children, malnourished and deathly pale, lying in the snow, drawing in their final shuddering breathes as they gazed upwards, praying for some great deity in the sky to save them from their frozen hell. I try to learn all their names, I truly do. The people that die by Winter's hand. Then I engrave them in my cave that holds my sorrow, my grief, my regret…Once a year, I read out every single name. And I remember them, as all children of the earth deserve to be remembered. Ana, Charlie, Sarah, Kayla, Noah, Eve, Laya, Petharys, Kaylie, Maria, Carla, Isabelle, Benjamin, Yoaka, Julian…Slowly, I tipped backwards into my blanket of snow, the names still spilling forth into my mind, as darkness enveloped me in its shadowy embrace…Matthew, Thomas, Gabriel…My last though as I blearily gazed up at the Moon through fuzzy eyes, with a broken heart that throbbed with every stolen breath I took was that I'm a murderer. But I'll make right, I promise….p-promise….

And the darkness closed in… E-ella….M-m-…

Part Two

Bunnymund

I sniffed in great annoyance as I gazed upwards, towards the night-time sky that enveloped the world in its dark embrace. Stars twinkled happily as they hung upon the roof of the world, reminding me of planets that existed in other places. Sighing, I turned my attention away from the stars and gazed at the mass of swirling, beautiful colours that danced in the heavens. They signified a summons to the North Pole- they were the Aurora's. Such a sign signified that; (a) North had decided it was time for the Guardians to 'catch up' and 'be happy'. Or (b)-and this was the one that truly worried me-Pitch was back. I highly doubt it's the latter though, as we vanquished him recently and it'll take him a while to get his shadowy butt anywhere near a bedside lamp, never mind Sandy's golden dream sand. Gritting my teeth, I surveyed my Warren as more thoughts tumbled into my mind. Having deduced the reason for my summons, I was, to put it simply, p*ssed off. Does the bloody drongo not kno' how close ta Easter it is? I bet if ah showed up a week befo' Christmas he'd freak his bean!

However; a summons was a summons, and I was not about to break a Guardian rule; Through blizzards or heat waves, earthquakes or tsunami's, cyclones or hurricanes, whether it be a natural disaster or a crisis of mine own, the likes of which hath not been encountered in all of my immortal years, I shall answer any and all requests for my presence, for I know that to be a Guardian is to hold the responsibility that others cannot. I will always come, and I shall do what is needed to protect the Hope of Children everywhere.

An unpainted googie bumped into my leg, breaking me out of my reverie. Gently, I lifted the little bloke up with my furry paws and held him in an affectionate embrace. With one last look at the Embodiment of Eternal Spring- my Warren- and the roof of the world, I tapped my foot on the warm ground, effectively opening a hole that lead straight to Santoff Clausen, and furthermore, the globe room. The only sign that there I had tunnelled would be a single flower, all on its lonesome.

Santoff Clausen

Bunnymund

The second I stepped out of my hole, I kind of wished I hadn't. It was a nightmare, but not the OMG-Pitch-is-back-run-for-you-lives! type of nightmare. (Not that I would run, if it were. I mean, I'm a warrior.) It was the horror of chaos. Elves ran amok, shrieking with their high-pitched voices that caused my ears to want to rip themselves off of me and run in the opposite direction. Yeti's bunched together in the nearby doorways, gazing at the globe room in all its splendid horror with dismayed interest. Tooth stood near the window, her faerie squad buzzing around her on iridescent wings, waiting for her attention to be directed towards them so they could go deal with whatever job required their presence. Sandy, well, he did what he practically always did…sleep. In that second I wondered if the Sandman created his own dreams, or…? I shook my head and gazed at the main attraction; North.

He stood in the middle of the room, bellowing orders at a handful of Yeti's that were actually doing their job, instead of enjoying the show. For some unknown reason, he had blue paint all over him, and was holding a can of unopened red paint. Then I saw- the Elves had paintbrushes. And suspiciously enough, the bristles were tinged a baby blue colour. Now it makes sense. The little bouncers! They bloody painted the poor bloke!

I leaned against a wooden beam, and surveyed the other Guardian's once more, and froze. Where's Frostbite? Huffing, I placed the googie I had brought with me on my shoulder, and, positioning my paws at my mouth, blew a long, loud, particularly shrill whistle that reverberated in the air. The entire room came to a stand-still, and almost comically turned their heads towards me. "G'day, mates." My Australian accent twanged, layering my words with that odd sound.

"Bunny!" North roared, charging towards me. Oh, h*ll no! My mind screamed as it registered the fact that, yes, North was still dripping wet paint. Dropping to all four paws swiftly, I dodged out of the way.

"North! Yer wearing paint, and I don' really wan' ta join yah in yer new fashion statemen'!" He paused, an expression awfully similar to petulance crossing his face.

"How have you been, old friend?" North grinned, his eyes sparkling with wonder. I sniffed. That brought me back to my earlier grievance.

"Do ya know how close ta Easter it is, mate? Googies don't paint thems-" I broke off. They do paint themselves…But ah paint handmade ones for a little something special….and ah have ta monitor them, and make sure the soil gets turned for next Easter, an' choose designs, research new flavours…It's a lot of work! "I have ta work." I said gruffly.

"Yah! Work later! Easter can wait!" He said in his jolly voice. I felt the hair rise on my back, and I stood taller. Easter can wait? Why, the nerve!

"Can wait? Wha' if I said Chrissie could wait, hmm? Yer a real dill, ya kno' that?" North stared at me in confusion.

"But Christmas iz important. It can't vait! Vat vill zi children think?" he said in his heavy Russian accent.

"An' Easter isn't?" I questioned, folding my front paws. North smiled condescendingly, and I knew his answer. "Why, ya little-" Tooth cut me off.

"Enough! Behave! You're supposed to protect children, not act like them!" she yelled, her voice raised just an octave above her normal level. I glared at North as he stared down at his paint-caked shoes, thoroughly chastised. But I saw the small smile that played at his lips beneath that snowy beard of his. Like a naughty kit. Tooth flew towards me and smiled happily, her violet eyes sparkling. "How are you, Bunnymund?" she said warmly.

"Good, an' you?"

"Just fine." she replied, then glanced behind me, a small frown tugging at her lips. "Is Jack not with you?" I stared at her; Jack?

"Why would the bloody show pony be with me?" I blinked.

"Well, we assumed….Jack's not here. None of us have seen him the past couple days…we thought he was with you…But…?" Her voice oozed confusion, and the first signs of a serious, full-on panic attack crept into her wide eyes. I saw Sandy float forth on his cloud of golden dream sand, question marks swirling above his head. Jack's not here? He's missing?

S**t.

Part Three

Tooth

I stared uncomprehendingly at Bunny, my fellow Guardian. Not with him? As my body froze, and my wings snapped together at my back with an audible clack, a thousand scenarios darted through my mind. Of Jack being hurt, kidnapped, lost…G*d forbid he be killed! What if he needs us and can't contact us? He'll think we abandoned him! That we don't care! My eyes flicked from Bunnymund's contemplative face to the raging blizzard outside. Is that a cry for help? Sweet Tooth, I'll save you! Don't you worry, little one, Momm- I mean- Toothy's coming. I'll make it all better. Determination filled me with strength, and one quick peek at my mini-faeries confirmed they knew exactly what I was thinking and they completely agreed with me. I lifted my wings into the air and began to beat at it until I gathered enough momentum in order to fly. Quickly, I sped towards the frosted window and began to grapple with the latch. In my peripheral vision I spotted an elf gazing up at me, its button eyes wide with curiosity as it swung its stout little arms to a rhythm only it heard. The window began to creek open and the first breaths of the frigid air outside slithered their way in, and I couldn't stop a shiver from racking my body. From behind me, I heard North bellow an order; "Stop her!" Stop me? Can't they see my Sweet Tooth needs me? I have to help him! The window finally swung open in one quick movement that reminded me of a fearsome kraken unlatching its gaping maw, awaiting its next innocent victim. Steeling myself for the chilled weather, I darted outside, but before I could make it any further a whip of golden dream sand wrapped itself around my middle and gently dragged me back inside.

A Yeti lumbered itself over to the window and latched it closed once more. The whip dissolved into sand again and scattered around me. Turning quickly, I glared at Sandy. "Sanderson ManSnoozie, did you just prevent me from saving my little Sweet Tooth?" He smiled in apology and pictures glittered into existence above his head, a mini-me and a mini-him hugging. I softened and smiled back at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound angry or rude. It's just Jack-"

I was cut off by Bunny; "-Is fine, Tooth. The bloody show pony is prob'ly off somewhere havin' a great cahoot. Yer just overreacting. Again." He muttered the last part quietly.

"I heard that." I sniffed, but a tiny smile wormed its way onto my face. "You really think he's fine?" I gazed at him with wide, pleading eyes. I need my Jack to be safe.

"'Course he is. Lil' Jackie boy is stronger than you think." Bunny reassured me.

"Yeah! Our Jack iz strong! Like me!" North bellowed, and I couldn't help but laugh at my old friend and his crazy antics. Sandy gave me a thumbs-up and I returned the gesture.

"Then where is he? He knows how serious a summons is. I know he's a prankster but even he wouldn't pull such a stunt." I voiced my thoughts. "What if he's hurt? Or maybe Pitch took him! What if he got stuck in ice?" I added.

"Really, Toothy? Ice? As for Pitch, I think you an' I both kno' he's too weak for such ah move…" Bunny replied in his Aussie accent. Spinning once quickly in the air, I took a deep breath.

"And for my comment on whether he's hurt? Hmm?" Aster shifted underneath my gaze, the googie on his shoulder wobbling haphazardly. Sandy waved his arms in the air and I faced him, my faeries turning around with me. Using his golden dream sand, he began to form pictures. First, four figures with a moon hovering above them, Sandy's universal sign of the Guardians. Then, a snowflake opposite us- Jack, perhaps? - finally, footsteps formed between us and Jack. The message was clear enough; We'll look for him and find him. North clapped a hand caked with flaking paint onto Sanderson's shoulder, causing golden sand to be knocked forth. "Yes! Good idea! We find Jackie!" He shouted out, happy that a solution had been found.

"Great!" I beamed, glad that something was finally being done to find my little one. "Let's go!"

"Not you, Toothy." North frowned.

"Why not?" I demanded. "It was me who first noticed he was gone. I should help." Bunny shifted but didn't say anything.

"Your wings, Tooth. Zis icy weather iz no good fer dem. Iz all good and vell when you use di snow globe to get here to zi Tooth Palace, but to search in zis weather? No, no. Von't do." North muttered in his heavy accent. I considered, and then sighed in defeat. No matter how much I wanted to help my Sweet Tooth, it would do no-one any good if my wings got damaged irreparably. But that didn't mean I was going to drop the matter.

"Who is going to search for him then?" I questioned.

"Bunny vill!" North finalised.

"Wait, what?! Bunny, huh? Not on yer nelly, mate." Bunny shook his head violently, the googie on his shoulder wobbling dangerously.

"Good. Iz settled zen! Bunny vill find our Jack."

"North, didja hear anythin' ah just said?" Aster looked flabbergasted, and, were the situation not so dire, I may have laughed. "Ah said ahm not goin'!" He continued, and at these words, I felt any trace of good humour leave my face.

"And why not?" my voice was dangerously low. Any noise that had previously existed in the globe room disappeared as a hush fell over everyone as they awaited to hear Bunny's reply.

He gulped, and there was fear in his eyes. "I-it's cold outside…"

I felt rage fill me, and I attempted to squash it, but failed. I don't lose my temper often, but when I do…"EDMUND ASTER BUNNYMUND! YOU ARE REFUSING TO HELP OUR SWEET TOOTH, WHO, BY THE WAY, COULD BE DYING OR BEING TORTURED, ON THE BASIS THAT IT'S COLD OUTSIDE?! YOU GET YOUR FURRY BUTT SEARCHING, AND THAT TRACKER NOSE SNIFFING, OR, BY G*D, I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET IT!" I took a breath in order to continue my rant, but, looking up, Aster was gone, leaving only a single pink-purple flower in his wake. I smiled.

Tooth Fairy; 1

Easter Bunny; 0

Part Four

Jack

Nightmares…screams…cries and pleas for help…Help! I remember a town, still young to the world…children, rosy-faced and wide-eyed…a lake…disguised…it was all a façade- it lied! Pretender…made us feel safe…lulled us into comfort…NOT HER!...shhh…let's have some fun instead…hopscotch…..like…e-everyday…a laugh…a crack…a creak…a groan…and finally; a scream…icy hands…grasping…pulling!...stolen breath…false warmth…a light in the night-time sky…Rising…breaking free…a name…Jack Frost…J-jack F-f-frost…Jack….Ja-a-c-c-c-k-k…

JACK,

JACK!

"JACK! Wake up, mate!" Me? C-calling me? Hmm… It sounds like Bunny…I opened my eyes a crack, and then quickly shut them again from the blinding light. "Sor'y Frosty, ah forgot." I felt more than heard a shift in the air, and suddenly, I could feel the cool embrace of the shade over my eyelids and the protective curling of Wind around my stiff body. "C'mon Frosty, open yer eyes." Bunny said in that Aussie twang of his, and, were it not completely improbable; I may have mistaken that odd lilt in his voice for concern. Warily, I opened my eyes a slit-"That's it, mate."- and was greeted by the sight of Aster's furry face.

"Cottontail, what brings you to my humble abode this fine Wintry morning? I would offer you some tea, but, well…you know…" His face clearly stated he was not impressed. Dropping his arm from the position he had had it in so that my eyes would be protected from the suns glare- sun?- he sighed and scooted back a few feet.

"'Tis neither Winter nor did ah drop in fer somefink as trivial as tea. The Aurora's got switched on an' you weren't there. Ya bloody show pony, what in the name of Tsar were ya thinkin'? Are ya happy now? Ya had Toothy worried sick."

"The Aurora's? Not Winter? Tooth? What?" I asked, completely exasperated and confused. "What do you mean? It was Winter a few minutes ago! I remember…falling asleep…and then I was greeted by your face this morning. And what a wonderful face it is." I added dryly. He frowned at my comment but didn't make a comeback. I frowned, mildly concerned- not that I would ever admit it. Something must really be bothering Bunny.

"Mate. It's Spring. You missed the end o' Winter an' the start o' Spring. I don't kno' what trick yer pullin' this time, but it isn't funny. What were you thinkin', allowing yerself to get caught in ah heat wave? Didja enjoy giving the Guardians ah right scare, huh, ya bounce?" His accent thickened as he got more worked up. Does he seriously think I wanted to be left in the heat like this? I'm the Winter Spirit, for Tsar's sake! I barely supressed the shudder of agony that racked my body. I think I'm hurt. Or ill. I don't know- it's not like I go flying into heat waves or the Equator often. Can immortals even get hurt…? My inner rambling was cut short as I became aware of the glare I was receiving from a certain Pooka.

"Yer ah real coward, ya know tha'? Can't even admit ta the mess you've caused an' take responsibility. I knew you shouldn't've become a Guardian." Bunny muttered the last part quietly, probably thinking I wouldn't hear it. But I did. And I agreed with him.

I don't deserve to be a Guardian. All I do is kill. How can I protect the children if all I do is harm them? There were so many other Spirits that deserved to be a Guardian; that have waited centuries for the title. Manny must have made a mistake. He's had to have realised it by now. Is he going to kill me now? And suddenly anger engulfed me. He only does something when it suits him! How many decades did I beg, plea for him to take away my immortal life? He never talked to me. The anger drained away. I must have done something terrible in my past life. Was I murderer? A humourless laughed clawed its way up my throat, and coughs seized my tired body. Bunny didn't even twitch to help me. Guess I do deserve everything that has happened to me. I was most likely a murderer in my past life and I'm a murderer in this. And then I smiled, because, although I knew I would never find redemption, at least I get to suffer. All those years of…

loneliness,

silent cries,

pain,

tortured by others,

invisible,

worthless,

mistake,

just a problem,

undeserving,

unheard,

unloved,

unwanted,

undiscovered,

cruelty,

hate,

and wanting….

Wanting MORE, needing more.

Pretending…

that I was loved, cared for. That I was needed, wanted. That I had family…

I deserve it all.

I was jerked out of my thought once more by Bunnymund's sigh of disgust, and, turning my head, I saw him climbing onto his two hind paws, brush himself off-there was dirt and leaves clinging to his fur- and raise his foot in preparation. Suddenly, it hit me. He was leaving.

Just like everybody else. Unbidden, a cry slipped past my lips; "No! Wait, please." Please don't go! Don't leave me alone again! I don't want to be left by myself, with only the insufferable silence and the nightmares for company…please! PLEASE! "I swear, I promise, I didn't mean to. I fell asleep…that's all I remember. I didn't mean to make a mess. I swear. The heat wave must've hit while I was asleep, and then I kept on sleeping because I'm the Winter Spirit, and Winter and heat don't mix. It must've made me lethargic…" I trailed off. I knew I was babbling, but I was nervous. I'll sound weak, a part of me protested. Your point? The other part rebutted.

Aster shuffled and stared at me. I held his gaze, refusing to back down. I am not lying. The heat wave did catch me unawares. Seemingly satisfied, he hopped forward to where I lay on the snow and scooped me into his arms. Chancing a quick peak down to see if I looked as bad as I felt, I saw the only exposed part of my body- my hands and feet- were an unnatural shade of flushed pink. That may not sound terribly bad, but for a Spirit who is supposed to be as pale as a corpse…suffice to say; it's not a good sign. My head throbbed, and every subtle shift caused pinpricks of sharp pain to spike through me. The last thing I was aware of before Cottontail opened a hole in order to travel was that It felt nice to be held by someone warm…

Part Five

Bunnymund

As I fell through the hole that I had made into the dark abyss of the tunnel below me, my grip on Jack tightened. I didn't want him to fall. Sure. That's the reason. A treacherous part of my mind snickered.

It is! I shouted back at it. I mean, it's not like there's another reason…such as my being concerned. That would be preposterous. Ridiculous. Unbelievable.

It would be true…

Shaking my head clear of such thoughts, I began to hop faster in the direction of Santoff Clausen, the googie that had once rested upon my shoulder now snuggled safely in the embrace of Jack's hoodie. Traitor. He ruined Easter. He's our nemesis.

He's hurt.

I felt another shiver rack Jack's warm body, and I couldn't stop myself from glancing down quickly. The bloody show pony seemed to have passed out. Great. Dead weight. Suddenly, I came to a screeching halt. Weight. Jack was so light that were I unaware he was there, I might have actually thought he wasn't.

I frowned and began to move forward again, passing many tunnels that forked off into other directions. Grass sprouted up at random intervals and the smell of Spring permeated the air. Taking the correct route was easy for me. I just knew.

Entrances and exits in my labyrinth began to blur as I moved faster and faster, reaching speeds akin to that of a jet, with the power to turn at the very last second without a single problem. My eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, if not sharper, leaving no room for error. The Easter Bunny cannot, must not, choose the wrong tunnel- if it was an emergency and I went the wrong way, I will have failed everyone. Miserably.

I slowed my feet to a near-jog as I noticed that we were nearing the drop-off area into North's place. Having arrived at the correct spot, I came to a dead halt. Tapping my right hind leg on the ground, I willed it to open the doorway. Soon enough, magic took effect as the earth above me dipped down and widened, giving me a brief glance of red decorations, before it literally picked Jack and I up, lifting us higher in one smooth movement. We were now on top of the ground that had once towered above us.

Smiling at the absolute magnificence of magic, I raised my head as my ears rotated, attempting to distinguish everybody's whereabouts. I was greeted by an empty room. Well, 'tis mainly empty, I thought as I saw a lone elf hobble around on its two stubby legs, the little crimson hat that rested on its head sliding down every few seconds, forcing the little guy to effectively came to a standstill in order to right it. Taking another quick glance around the Globe Room, I shifted the unconscious shivering mass that was Jack into a more comfortable position, and then hopped forwards a few paces as I began to sniff at the air. Tooth's scent was a couple hours old, so I discarded it. Sandy I didn't even bother to try and distinguish as I knew he wouldn't be here. It was night, and he had to protect the children's dreams. Even if he had wanted to stay, he couldn't've, as he knew as well as I that duty comes before all, no matter how horrible a statement that might sound. That left North. I took in a deeper breath, searching for that tell-tale scent of freshly-baked chocolate-chip cookies, cinnamon, mint and fresh dairy cream milk. Ah-ha! Found it. Having located it, I began to track him. I passed through the towering archive of knowledge that humans had dubbed a 'Library', and the Game Room, the New Designs Centre, the Workshop, to finally come to a rest outside the Kitchen. Ah should-ah guessed, I thought dryly. This is North that ahm talkin' abou'. 'Course he'd be here. Jack groaned and twisted in my arms, and a small pang of sympathy darted through me. Poor bloke. Ah have ah feelin' on how much pain he's in. The thought sobered me and I pushed past the door into the Kitchen. The delicious aroma of cookies permeated the air, and I took a deep sniff.

Then I spotted him. He was sitting on the Kitchen island counter, piles and piles of amassed cookies littered around him, shoving the sweet little treats into his mouth like they were going to disappear in the next second. I felt my jaw drop as I gaped at him. He had his eyes closed, cookie crumbs snagged in his beard, and oh-my-G*d, he was moaning.

Ewwwwwww! Gross, gross, gross! Get outta mah head, ya horrific mental picture! I'm scarred fer the rest o' my immortal life!

I shuddered and mentally said; Jack, yer LUCKY yer not awake right now, mate…

I cleared my throat. He didn't even budge; just continued his incessant marathon of cookie devouring. I repeated the action, but much louder. Nothing. Oh, for Tsar's sake!

"NORTH!" I roared, and then burst into great, loud guffaws of laughter as he jumped two feet into the air, his cookie empire knocked down in one giant swipe of his flailing arms. Instead of glaring at me in accusation like I expected, he stared down at the foiled cookies that lay defeated on the floor, a look of subject horror adorning his face.

"My cookies!" North cried out pitifully, as he fell to his knees next to them. His hands darted out, beginning to collect all of the cookies that rested on the floor. My sensitive ears picked up his murmuring; "Five second rule…yeah, zis cookies are still good…"

I felt vague amusement, and a little bit of guilt. But now was not the time for such mental endeavours. Jack needed help. "North, mate, Frosty needs yer help. So quite yer cookie-cryin', for Tsar's sake."

North's head jerked up, and as he caught sight of Jack, his face drained of blood. Dropping all the cookies he had gathered so far, he stood up and crossed the short distance between himself and us. "Jack," he whispered, worry emanating off of him in waves.

Part Six

Jack

Threads of joyful dreams clung to me like eager children, and I snuggled further into the delightful embrace of ice and snow; two of the very few things that were all I had known for so many years. Suddenly, the fog that had clouded my mind a few seconds ago cleared, and I became aware of three things -

One: I was wonderfully chill, whereas a few moments ago I had been in the grips of the burning demons.

Two: My body felt no pain. Not even the slightest twinge or nagging irritation. I was, suffice to say, numb.

Three: A person was beside me. This I knew because whoever they were, they snored. Quite loudly, in fact.

Deciding to place name to location, I attempted to open my eyes. Key word; Attempted. They felt as heavy as a tonne of bricks, and a small sigh slipped past my lips. Concentrating and gathering my strength for one simple action, I focused on my eyelids. Slowly, they creaked open, the movement reminding me of a door on rusty hinges. At long last. A dimly-lit room greeted my sight. The walls were painted a baby blue hue, and pristine snowflakes tumbled everywhere. The floor was wood, and the whorls that were ingrained in it reminded me of the wind, and how she tumbled and swirled, truly free and completely at ease. I was resting on plain dark blue sheets, snow and ice packed around me in place of a blanket. That answers the first question that I had raised. Turning my head ever so carefully, I saw answer three sitting in a chair, her head rested over folded arms which were lying on the sheets beside my head. All that I could see of her was the back of her colourful feathered head. She stayed by my side? My eyes stung, and closing them quickly, I inhaled deeply.

Tooth must've sensed my awareness or something, because she began to shift. Yawning, her eyes still sealed shut, she raised her arms above her head and stretched. With detached awareness, I vaguely noticed that when Tooth stretched, her wings did too, rising up and above her head in an almost elegant manner. Slowly, her uniquely-shaped eyelashes fluttered and rose up, revealing sleepy violet eyes that glimmered faintly. When was the last time she really rested? I wondered, concerned. Suddenly, her eyes snapped wide open and her mouth curved into a smile, her wings beginning to beat at the still air, causing it to churn and uplift her weight.

"Sweet Tooth! You're awake!" she whispered.

Timidly, I smiled. Tooth cared enough to wait for me to wake up! She cared. About me.

Hesitating, she hovered in the air. "Just wait for a few moments, okay sweetie? I have to get the others. I'll be back in a moment, I promise," Tooth reassured me, and her voice indicated that she really didn't want to leave my side.

I felt my heart thaw a little at her kind gestures. She has no clue how much that meant to me…

"'K," I whispered, and mentally winced at the sound of my hoarse voice. She bit her lip, but quickly zoomed out of the room I currently occupied, and a few moments later, I heard her screaming out;

"NORTH! BUNNY! SANDY! MY SWEET TOOTH IS AWAKE! GET OVER HERE." A pause, and then, "PLEASE."

I winced. Poor Bunny. I knew how sensitive those overgrown rabbit ears of his were. A tendril of disturbed air shot through the room, and, glancing up, I saw Tooth fly into the room, her wings beating furiously. Having arrived at my bedside once more, her wings snapped together, cutting off her flight, and her dainty feet hit the ground in one smooth motion. "They're coming." She grinned at me, and, being the Guardian of Fun and all, I just couldn't help but grin back at her.

I heard huffing and a few swear words, and I faced the doorway, which was the source of the noise. And then I promptly burst out laughing. Tooth, seeing what I was looking at, also began to chuckle. North and Bunny seemed to have tried to enter through the door at the same time, and now they were stuck. Bunny had a look of extreme annoyance and mild agony engraved on his face, with his body in an uncomfortable-looking position- one furry arm in the room, the other out, a smushed face, bent ears, and one hind paw currently being trodden on by North's giant black boot. And North…geez…for some bizarre reason, he had one arm in the air, the other behind him. His belly was halfway in the room. One leg was a dead weight on Bunny's foot, the other in a 'Captain Morgan' position.

But it was his face that got me. It was beetroot in colour, his child-like eyes watering with pain- due to the fact that his beard was being tugged on by the weight of his body (the snowy hair was caught on a coat button) - and his cheeks were puffed out in exasperation.

And finally, Sandy hovered just behind and above their entangled forms on a golden cloud of dream sand, his expression highly amused. Catching my eyes, he silently sniggered, pointer down at Bunny and North, and formed a picture of a brain. Then he overlaid the image with a giant X.

They have no brains in their possession.

"Yeah, yeah. Havin' ah right royal laugh, ain't cha?" Bunny huffed out in his Australian accent. "Now, would ya stop yer sniggerin' an' help us out, mates?"

Sandy silently laughed once more, then formed a giant battering ram and swung it forth in one mighty movement. It slammed into Bunny and North, and I saw their eyes widen, then suddenly, with an oomph! they burst into the room. The ram disappeared, leaving only Sanderson and a gasping Nicolas and Aster. Straightening, they glared simultaneously at Sandy. He simply shrugged and smiled angelically, pictures flashing above his head that meant; 'What? Do I get no thanks?'

North laughed and said, "Not likely, old friend!" whereas Bunnymund simply harrumphed. Seemingly remembering their reason for coming here in the first place, they gathered around me.

I was assaulted by their questions.

"How are ya feelin', Frosty?"

"You look a little bit better, Jackie. Iz because you're strong- like me!"

'You still look a little bit flushed, Jack.'

And suddenly Tooth's voice cut through the clamour - "Back. Off. You're overwhelming my Sweet Tooth."

She said my Sweet Tooth, I sighed happily. Silence enveloped the room, only to be broken by North's jolly voice. I glanced up at him hopefully, I adore cookies! - t"

Bunny cuffed the back of his head.

"…Sorry…" North whispered.

Aster sighed. "Ya dill." Yet the words were said affectionately.

Sanderson rolled his eyes, apparently used to North's behaviour.

"Bunny…explained…to us what happened. How are feeling, hon?" Tooth asked, and her voice was only soft and kind. There wasn't a hidden threat or underlying demand, just concern. For me.

I coughed and answered truthfully, "Numb." She giggled and peeked at Bunny.

"That would be Aster's doing. He gave you some of his homemade medicine. It was pasty green and smelled of ogres. And then Sandy gave you dreams- because, well…" Tooth glanced at Aster, but I knew what the rest of the sentence would be- he said you were having a nightmare when he found you. Out of my peripheral vision I saw North shift and sneak a hand into his coat pocket. Pulling out a broken cookie with crumbling ends, he shoved it in his mouth and began to chew happily, a smile forming on his face. I raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Tooth, catching sight of North, hissed out; "Nicolas! You're supposed to be on a diet!" The man in question quickly swallowed the rest of the cookie and smiled triumphantly, an expression that clearly stated Aha! I ate the cookie and you couldn't stop me! written on his face.

Bunny ignored them and leaned over me, placing his paw on my forehead and muttering out, "How ya feelin', Icicle?" I chuckled, which turned into a full-blown cough attack. He propped me up against the pillows and grabbed a cup from a small table I didn't notice earlier.

"Here. It's some o' my cough medicine. Made the mixture myself from the plants in mah Warren." Bunny tipped the cup so that the liquid flowed out, and I swallowed. Tooth's small hand massaged mine, rubbing smooth circles onto my palm.

"There, there," she crooned. "we'll make you feel better." Done drinking the foul-tasting brew that Aster had given me; I slumped back onto my pillows. Why's Bunny being so nice? And I felt a spark of hope ignite in my chest, a flickering flame against the sadness and loneliness that had been all I'd ever known for so long. Hope for the future, for this little group of people who could actually stand to be beside me, even though I was Winter.

Even though I was Death.

And then, with a sigh, I remembered: The Man in the Moon, and my request. Does he even know? Would he tell me if I asked how to become the true Embodiment of Winter? Questions ran through my mind, all of them important, none of them answered. I was brought out of my thoughts at Tooth's questioning voice; "Sandy?" I shifted to look at Sanderson, and saw him guiding a string of glowing dream sand in my direction. Oh. He's going to- I was out before I finished formulating the thought.

Tooth

As Sandy placed my little Sweet Tooth into a comforting and joyful dream of happy children and fun games, I ushered Bunny and North out the room. As much as I wanted Jack to stay awake and talk to me and just be fine, I knew the best and quickest way to get better was for him to sleep. And knowing Jack, he'd stay awake for as long as he possibly could. Sandy and I stared at our youngest Guardian's face, marvelling at how tiny and unbelievably young he looked. He couldn't be more than thirteen! Just a child, my mind wailed. How could we leave him alone for so many years? We're supposed to protect children, not cause them irreversible damage, for Moon's sake! And so, as I stared at Jack's peaceful face, with dreams dancing above his head in expressive waves, I swore a silent Oath; I have failed you one too many times, my little Sweet Tooth, but I swear, everything I do from now on will be in your best interests and the Children of the World. I will protect you, as I should've when you were first introduced into this world…

My child.

Leaning down, I brushed his damp snowy locks back from his forehead and kissed his cheek. Sandy patted my arm and smiled sadly at me, and in his eyes I saw he knew what I was feeling, and was experiencing the same thing.

"Let's leave him to rest." I whispered, as I walked out of Jack's room; instead of flying like I usually did. Outside; I was greeted by North and Bunny, Sandy soon joining the group. Nicolas stroked his beard and simultaneously tried to untie the knot of hair where it was caught in a coat button.

"Vhere iz he going to stay?" North asked in that heavy accent of his.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Sandy cannot care for him. He floats around on big puffy cloud every day. Iz always night somewhere on zi earth. He shouldn't even be here right now." North mused, his eyes flicking to Sanderson's face. The Sand Man shuffled his feet but didn't make a move to leave. "You certainly can't take him either- you live in very hot palace, Toothy! So dat leaves Bunny," He grinned. "yes! Bunny vill take him!" I stared at him, wondering if he was out of his mind. We all knew Bunny and Jack weren't on the best terms.

"Why can't you take him?" I questioned, agitated.

"потому что-" North began, but I cut him off. [Translation; Because-]

"-Oh, so now we're speaking Russian?" Bunny and Sandy stared at us, completely confused. I, for one, shared their feelings. North's off his rocker.

"Просто слушай. Я говорю так Банни России не знает, почему я хочу, чтобы заботиться о Jack-Вы можете говорить на этом языке так, это как секретный код к ним-" He jerked his thumb at the other Guardians.

[Translation; Just listen. I'm speaking Russian so Bunny doesn't know why I want him to take care of Jack- You can speak this language so it's like a secret code to them-]

"Ох. Итак, ослепить меня своими рассуждениями." I replied.

[Translation; Oh. So, dazzle me with your reasoning.]

He frowned a little and shifted his weight to the other foot. Before he could explain himself, Aster broke in; "Hey, hey, what's goin' on here, eh mates? Keepin' secrets?"

Nicolas ignored him and continued- "Это прекрасная возможность для Aster и Джека, чтобы узнать друг друга лучше. Кто знает, они могут стать лучшими друзьями ..."

[Translation; This is the perfect opportunity for Aster and Jack to get to know each other better. Who knows, they may become the best of friends…]

"О, я вижу." I fell silent, thinking of the pros and cons.

[Translation; Oh, I see.]

"Very well," I continued, "Bunny, you will care for Jack while he is ill. Have an icy place ready for him in your Warren. I know you can arrange that."

"Excuse me?" He wheezed. "I ain't takin' the bloody Winter Spirit to my place, home of Eternal Spring!"

"Bunnymund." I warned. Has he forgotten last time so quickly? Ah, Bunny. I made an Oath to do everything I could for my Sweet Tooth, and if you being the greatest of friends to him falls under that category, so be it.

He sighed in defeat, and I couldn't help but grin a little.

Add that to the score.

Part Seven

Bunnymund

Let's stiff the Pooka with th' immortal child. He can take care o' the trickster, and we can all just relax, I thought in agitation as I dropped the show pony on the bed I had prepared for him in my Warren. If ah may say so myself, it looks pretty good.

The room was a tunnel that rested upon the banks of an underground river. Rocks and sand alike made up the walls, floor and roof. The cool draft of air that travelled with the river got deposited in the room when it whooshed past, the sound soothing and musical. The rock trapped the cold, further decreasing the temperature. The fact that the room was completely blocked off from sunlight helped too. Candle lamps were fixed against the walls, and a bed of white and velvet-blue sheets was pressed closely to the rock wall. The colour of said wall was a beautiful natural shade of dazzling navy blue, with silver flecks scattered against the ocean of the icy colour. The air was clear, the wonderfully fresh smell of Lilies permeating it intoxicatingly divine. Small flowers of varying colours popped up at random intervals, and a giant snowflake of exquisite detail and craftsmanship hovered above the tunnel door like a star amongst the dead of night. It was, to put it simply, a magnificent, magical room.

Gazing down at the occupant I had lain in the bed, I sighed. His locks of heavenly white were strewn carelessly across a fever-suffering forehead. Eyelashes that had no right to be on a man- a boy, I corrected myself- lay gently across his cheeks. I knew that if he were to open his eyes this very moment, I would be greeted by the startling colour of thousands upon thousands of shades of blue, with the mesmerizing smattering of silver and grey amongst the depths of his orbs. Eyes that drew a person in, and their secrets out. They trapped you and saw your very soul, all that of which you have done, and fruitlessly tried to hide. His eyes haunted you. They had seen what the world had committed, and kept history. Wars had been birthed and aged in those eyes, and yet a smile is so easily extracted, so quick to grace the world with its presence. Jack tossed in the bed, the movement startling me out of the near-trance I had fallen into. His ebony eyebrows scrunched together and small whimpers of fear escaped him. I shifted to the opposite hind paw uneasily; unsure.

Should I…?

I huffed a breath of air through my nose.

Oh, why not?

And so, I began to sing, in a voice that was warm and gruff, yet oh-so-soft;

"I hear the wind across the plain,

a sound so strong - that calls my name.

It's wild like the river - it's warm like the sun.

Yeah, it's here - this is where I belong;

Under the starry skies- where eagles have flown.

This place is paradise - it's the place I call home.

The moon on the mountains,

the whisper through the trees,

the waves on the water,

let nothing come between this and me.

'Cause everything I want- is everything that's here,

and when we're all together- there's nothing to fear.

And wherever I wander- the one thing I've learned;

It's to here - I will always…always return."

Jack stilled, a real smile of pure contentment tugging at the corners of his pale lips. "Sleep well, little kit." Yer part o' my family now, an' I'll protect ya. There's nothing tah fear.

And in that precious moment, a fierce need to protect him arose in my chest. My heart warmed, and as I gazed upon the Child of Winter- I swore, for a single second, that I had always known him…

had always loved him…

But that was ridiculous.

Because…because…

I smiled, and for once in my life, I didn't finish the thought. Turning to leave, I shook my head once more in amazement- that this child, this tiny immortal boy- had wormed his way into my heart. Humming the tune to the song I had sung to Jack under my breath, I left.

…there's nothing to fear… let nothing come between this and me…"

Jack

Nightmares assaulted me, and I twisted and turned. I was frightened, and I couldn't escape out of this hell. Screams rang in my ears, and blood dripped down my arms, forming cracks like a broken porcelain vase. And then I knew; I would never escape. I would stay here forever, with torture, agony, and terror the only friends I would ever have.

Ever deserve...

But then a voice cut through the darkness, and showed me the way out.

"'Cause everything I want - is everything that's here…

and when we're all together- there's nothing to fear.

And wherever I wander - the one thing I've learned;

It's to here - I will always…always return…"

They promised me a safe haven, and to stay by my side; to always return. I knew not who my saviour was – except that I never wanted them to leave…

And as I slept, I dreamt of open plains, and my friend the Wind guiding me to wild rivers that required a freeze until they were perfect for skating. Of the Moon lighting up the night…

I dreamt of a place where I belonged.

Part Eight

Neutral

Pitch's Lair

"They think they've destroyed us," the Nightmares hissed from inside the body they possessed. A body of ivory skin that held not only the King of Nightmares, but his once loyal army. "They're wrong. Oh-so-wrong…" Chuckling, the figure enshrouded in ebony robes faced the Globe which was made of twisted metal - that of which had been melded together, forever entwined like desperate lovers.

"They think us weak! Those Guardians!" they continued as they inspected the Earth of rusted silver. So very few lights twinkled among the dark of a fake world. Fear Incarnated pulled back their lips, the horrific sound of grinding teeth the only reverberations in the dank room.

"We failed!" a Nightmare from within spat out.

"Not our fault- it's theirs!" another argued. A head crowned in shiny black hair threw itself back as the figure shook in rage.

"He was weak! A King that failed his realm, his kingdom, is but a coward. He did not deserve our…services. His fault! His fault!" a group of sadistic voices chanted from where they resided- the vessel of their former Master.

"Yes…" the others agreed. "Pitch has fallen. Defeated by a youngling…a mere child!" They gnashed their teeth in agitation as they began to pace. Inhaling deeply, they stared down at their feet. A puddle of oily black water lay beneath them- lifeless, as that boy should be! - and a reflection glared back at them. The sight that met their eyes was…terrifying.

They smiled in pleasure.

Eyes that had once been a brilliant gold now swirled with a smoky grey, churning restlessly as a ghost would haunt a mansion endlessly. Two burning orbs that held no mercy, captivating all who dared to look, were the centrepiece of a masterpiece. Those eyes…they told of death…

Of everything burning down,

down to the ground,

until there's nothing left to be found…

Hundreds of thousands of evil spirits peered out at the world from within their room of flesh…

Eyes growing wide;

For there is nowhere to hide-

Except inside.

Pale lips formed an unyielding line of cruelty as the Nightmares contemplated whose inevitable doom they wished to ensure. Hair of inky black dared to fall across their eyes, and they ran their hand through it in exasperation and irritation.

"A King of Fear hath failed,

At his chance for belief.

The ship for power sailed…"

They sighed, then, in a fit of anger, straightened. "NO! Pitch failed, but now he shelters us! He is OURS. We will not make the same mistake he did! It's that brat…he stopped us…" Silence descended upon the dark and dreary cavern.

"Brat he may be…but he is stronger than thee…" the Nightmares muttered. Slowly, a smile curled at their lips.

"What a powerful being indeed." They cracked their milk-white knuckles. "Stronger than Pitch. Most likely even the famous four Guardians. I wonder…" Fear sighed, then continued, "what would happen were we to… possess…such a vessel? A child birthed by our greatest enemy- that dreaded spirit which reflects another's light at night, showing the path to safety- and the daughter of our body. We'd bet Hell would be unleashed. A Hell of not burning fire, but paralysing ice. Nobody could defeat us...we would rule this world, and feed on the fear of all…no longer shall we starve!" The Nightmare Army threw back their head and laughed humourlessly. "Then it's settled," They whispered. "the child shall be ours. And all who attempt to stop us shall be destroyed. Yessss…" Fear hissed, and faced the Globe which displayed Pitch's failure. Grinning, they chuckled in anticipation. "Just you wait. Soon, that Earth of twisted metal shall shine with such light that not even the Moon will be able to compete, nor the Sun."

"We'll steal the world,

our Fear will consume…

and all shall be bewildered."

Tooth

A miniature fairy hand tapped my kaleidoscope of a coloured shoulder. Turning with a ready smile, I faced the little copy of me, one of thousands. Dryly, I couldn't help but remember what the humans told each other; You are unique. There is no-one else in the world just like you…Laughing, I thought- You're right- there are hundreds upon thousands. Shaking my head of such thoughts, I glanced at the faerie that had asked for my attention. "Yes, little one?" I asked the tiny creature which hung eyelevel with me. Her multi-coloured body buzzed with excitement as she chirped to me in her sing-song voice. "Oh, of course! South Africa, Durban, Alletoke, Ixetholo, 18 Strewnbek Avenue. The child's name is Zama-Bernadette Nxomalo Isithuza, age of eight. Lost incisor." I answered. The mini-faerie nodded her head in thanks, and, turning gracefully in the air with the help of iridescent wings, she flew off into what I knew was the direction of Africa. "Okay…" I sighed. Chewing my lip, I turned to stare at the inevitable, constant chaos that was the Tooth Palace. Faeries buzzed around, some carrying teeth whilst others loose coins of change. Magnificent pillars that held up the roof of the home of a child's memories rose high into the air, reaching for some untouchable deity in the sky, some greater power to place all their troubles in. Again, worry shot through me, and for the umpteenth time that day, I questioned my sanity in placing my trust into North's hands. What if he's wrong? What if Bunny doesn't take good care of Jack? Why did I leave my Sweet Tooth in his hands? My child needs me, and I left him!

No, no…

Remember what Bunnymund always says; "Yer overreacting. Ya always do tha'."

Yes, I attempted fruitlessly to assure myself, He's fine. My little one is safe.

Doubt nagged at me like an insistent dog with a chew toy as remembered the rivalry between Aster and Jack. If it weren't for their thick-headed skulls, and their enormous pride, they would be able to see how much they love each other. Those two are brothers in all but blood…

I suppose all kin have sibling rivalry.

But honestly- the lengths they go to are ridiculous.

Again, I was reminded of their fights. "I suppose I could go visit…for a minute…or two…hours…" I wondered aloud. "Yes- I'll bring…a blanket! Yes, I'm sure my Sweet Tooth needs a blanket, what with Bunny's fur and all; he wouldn't've seen the need to get one. So I'll get one!" I pointedly ignored the voice in the back of my head which said that Jack's a Winter Spirit. Why would he need a blanket?

Humming happily, I began to make a few preparations to ensure that work in the Palace could continue smoothly while I was away.

Part Nine

Jack

I twisted on something soft and breathed a huff of air through my nose. Clutching the pillow closer to my body, I sighed contentedly. And suddenly, actions caught up with my thoughts – Pillow? My lake doesn't have a bed, much less a pillow! Opening my eyes, I squinted as my irises adjusted to the dimly illuminated room. As I gazed around in shock, I noticed detachedly that this was most certainly not the North Pole, nor the Tooth Palace. Where…? My attention was caught by the walls that enclosed me in this little slice of replicated winter. Rock carved into an ancient earth. There is only one…person…of which I know that lives buried beneath the world the rest of us live on top of…

Edmund Aster Bunnymund, AKA; the Easter Bunny.

Snorting a laugh at the absurdity of the idea that the Kangaroo had willingly allowed me into his Warren, I rolled off of the bed and cautiously inspected my surroundings. Walls, walls, walls, greeted my roving eyes. A slow hum pierced my concentration, and I strained my ears, listening. It sounded like…water? And then I saw what had somehow -miraculously! - surpassed my attention before. My mouth formed an 'O' as I gazed at the monstrosity that lay before me. It was…beautiful. The river roared past me, winding down, deeper into the earth. It crashed upon the banks, near to where I stood, like an angry toddler having a tantrum. Laughing, I twirled my shepherd's staff - an object that both strengthened my power and helped me control it - in my hands, before finally smashing it on the ground. Frost patterns swirled in an outwards spiral. I smiled in childish anticipation and glee, but then those emotions faded, only to be replaced by something else…

I took a step forward, towards the writhing liquid that coiled with a life of its own. Staring down at the inky depths, I bit my lip and hugged my staff closer. An old emotion swelled like the river before me, and I furrowed my brow.

I felt like I should be…afraid.

Danger! My mind screamed at me, and yet, wasn't this river…playful?

No! See how it screams in rage? How it smashed the ground and rips at the rock?

For how long I stood there, I did not know. All I was aware of was the relentless pounding of water against earth, and the energy that flowed around me.

Water and Ice, these were just a few old friends.

Right?

I wanted to jump in, to play with this feisty element, but just as I always had, I couldn't. Some long-forgotten feeling that lived within me prevented me from doing so.

I shook my head and hefted my staff, thoughts of exploring and adventure swirling through my mind. Suddenly, a loud scuffle shocked me, and I tipped forward in pure surprise, too shocked to do anything except wave my arms around pathetically, and attempt to keep a hold of my staff. Water slammed into me, and I felt my chest constrict with fear.

Yes, I, the fearless Jack Frost, was afraid.

I felt no cold, for I was Winter. I am Cold.

I forced my eyes open and swam towards what I thought was the surface. I could be going deeper, and I wouldn't have been able to tell. The current dragged at me, an unstoppable force, and panic gripped me just as strong. My eyes stung and burned, and colours in a thousand shades of grey, black and blue flew past me. Something scraped my leg and I gasped in pain, the remnants of air that I had managed to breathe bubbling away. My lungs began to scream for oxygen and black tinged my vision as I smashed into yet another rock. I clawed my way upwards, noting with detached realization that I couldn't swim. I was going to die by means of a river. Can immortals even die?

A river.

There went my pride along with my breath.

I could just see my epitaph ...

The great Jack Frost, he who played a part in the defeat of the Nightmare King, died at the hands of a river.

May he forever swim with fishes, and breathe the stench of underground water

My vision tunnelled, and I stared at my approaching death.

A river.

A RIVER.

I was going to die because I tripped into a RIVER.

A new emotion was building in my chest, chasing away the panic, the fear. It grew stronger, and the grip on my staff which had become dangerously weak tightened.

No…

No.

No.

NO!

A vicious growl erupted from my throat in rage, and my teeth clenched.

I refuse to die like this.

Water is my servant.

It WILL obey me.

Who am I?

I am Jack Frost, and this is my element.

Water will be my Servant, and I its Master.

I could almostfeel every tug of current, every wave of liquid; but not yet…not yet.

My staff began to hum with immense power, and gentle blue light illuminated the murky depths. I let the power build; focus.

Nearly there…

Abruptly, something grabbed my leg, jerking me out of the near-trance I had fallen into, and the panic raced back in.

No longer could I control this greater being; I was just a small, skinny boy with white hair who loved to play again. The confidence, strength, that had been mine for a few measly seconds disappeared, and I was a scared, drowning boy once more.

I thrashed and kicked, but instead of loosening, the thing that had me tightened. The blue light which had existed just a few moments before was gone; replaced by unforgiveable and unyielding darkness. I was tugged up or down- which, I couldn't tell- the ache in my lungs becoming too much to bear. Just give in, my mind whispered sadly, and the voice was becoming too hard to ignore.

I can't…

I c-can't…

C-c…

Darkness embraced me like a long-lost brother.

Part Ten

Bunnymund

As I sat there among the plants I had grown single-handedly all these years, a paintbrush in one paw and a googie in the other, I wondered how long until Jack woke up. Frosty's been unconscious most of the time lately. Wryly, I couldn't help but think that a few months ago I would've been ecstatic over that fact. What's th' child doin' tah me? Rolling my shoulders, I skilfully added another delicate swirl to the half-done piece of art. So far, I had painted the underside a dark stormy grey, with complicated white swirls and random dots layering it. The googie was patient as it got all 'dressed up', and, placing the paintbrush on the dewy grass, I tickled the little guy. Little legs kicked out as it tried to escape me. I smiled at it as it scampered around me in excitement.

I should prob'ly be paintin' Easter-themed eggs, I thought, but in all honesty, I wasn't too worried. Since last years' fiasco with Pitch, I had worked like a fiend to make sure Easter this year would be perfect. So, if all production were to stop right now, Easter would still go off without a hitch. In fact, it'd probably be one of the best yet. All of the eggs were masterpieces alone, but together, they were walking dreams. I watched as the little grey googie sat down by my hind leg and stared out at the sky.

Following his stare, I gazed at the greatest artwork of all time. Orange and yellow, purple and blue, grey and black. They spread out before me, encompassing all. The horizon, just on the cusp of night, stretched out before me. The Moon and the Sun in perfect balance, sharing the world for a few moments. And there, at the edge, a silent observer; night. Upon his cape of black were a scattered few stars, twinkling like forgotten dreams. And all of this belonged to everyone. Storm clouds were rolling in, and I breathed in the refreshing smell of promised rain.

Peace.

The sound of rock against earth shattered the silence, and I turned my head to the source of the noise. A golem lumbered towards me, a warrior of cracked stone. Looking up, I saw what had spooked it. Something was flying rapidly towards us, a material of some sort flapping in the breeze. Grabbing my boomerangs, I faced the intruder, then relaxed after I took a moment to inspect them. It was just Tooth, a blanket clutched to her chest, the back of it billowing out behind her. A bright smile adorned her face as she neared me. Finally, Tooth hovered before me.

Taking a deep breath, she said in that optimistic voice of hers, "Hello, Aster. I brought Jack a blanket, because, well, you have fur and I didn't want him to get cold, so I decided to just-"

Cutting off her babbling, I said with raised eyebrows; "Ya do know tha' Jack's the Winter Spirit, right?"

Tooth's lips narrowed and she retorted, "Don't sound so condescending, Bunny." Rolling my eyes, I hopped forth and grabbed the blanket. Setting it down on a nearby rock, I mumbled to her that I would give it to him later. Turning back around, I saw as Tooth bit her lip, worried violet eyes imploring me for information.

"Geez, Toothy. Don'tcha trust mah?" She laughed but didn't answer. Smart girl.

"Is he awake?"

"Not yet. Ah placed him in his room about an hour ago. He's prob'ly still sleepin'." Nodding her head in understanding, she wrung her hands. "Don't look so stressed, that Show Pony's got more spunk in him than all o' us combined. An' anyway, that head of his-" I mumbled under my breath, If he has one, "is harder than any rock in mah Warren."

"I heard that." Tooth glared, and I wilted. Laughing, she said, "Scared you, didn't I?"

"C'mon. Let's go get somethin' tah drink, mate." I lead the way past blooming flowers and random googies. Stopping at a cave that was curtained by vines, I glanced back to check if she was still following me. Giving me a thumbs-up, she pushed away the plant-life and flew in swiftly. Racing in after her, I saw her survey the room. Bare floors, candles, a plain wooden table and chairs, but the walls…murals danced along the rock in extravagant colours, painting tales of times long-forgotten.

"Wow." Tooth breathed. I felt my ears stand up tall in pride.

"Yeah. C'mon, what daya want tah drink? Tea?" My accent twanged.

"Oh, no, no. Do you know how bad tea is for your teeth? It stains them! Like, this one time, I knew a girl - when I was still out in the field– and she had such pretty teeth- nowhere near as good as Sweet Tooth's, mind you – but then she started to drink tea, coffee, soft drinks…" I tuned her out as I grabbed some water from a small economically-friendly fridge. Grabbing two glasses that were made from wood, I filled both to the brink. Then I piled a plate with some raw carrots and a small salad. Placing the food and drinks on the table, I glanced at Tooth. "…and then when she turned fifteen…" How's it possible one little woman can talk so much?

"Tooth."

She turned to me with questioning eyes, and then spotted the table. "Oh! Right." Sitting down, she grabbed her glass and sipped it.

"So, why didja really come here, eh mate?" I asked.

Shifting, she cleared her throat. "To check on Jack."

Waving my paw dismissively, I said, "The little bugger's fine."

Tooth frowned. "He most certainly is not fine, Bunny! He could've been seriously hurt! He was hurt! Jack is a Winter Spirit; the heat isn't good for him."

"Tooth, Jack's been alone fer three hundred years, he doesn't need yer motherin'. He's survived so far, hasn't he? Give the kid some credit." I gave her a pointed look.

Dropping her head in her hands, she whispered; "Exactly, Bunny. Exactly. Three hundred years! A child!" She moaned in anguish. "He's what, twelve? Thirteen? He's so small, and so good. We're Guardians, Aster! Our job is to protect all children, and yet…one was right under our noses, and we stood idly by…for three hundred years!" Looking up at me with stricken eyes, she pointed at me accusingly and continued, "And you! Don't even get me started on you! We're finally doing something to help him, and you, with your stupid, misplaced pride, have to go and give him trouble! Don't you think he's had enough trouble to last him an eternity?" Her shoulders slumped.

I sniffed, affronted. Ahm many things, but stupid doesn't describe any one' o' them. "What 'ave ah done to the bloke?" I cried out indignantly.

"That's my point, Aster. What have you done for him? And what you do to him…" She shook her head.

"Hey! He's no innocent little angel!"

"Would you expect him to be, after three hundred years alone?" Tooth retorted, but then softened. "Bunny, look…I don't expect you to just accept him with open arms, alright? Just…give him a chance. Try to be…nice. Jack hasn't had a friend for three centuries; I think you and I both know he's probably forgotten how."

My ears drooped in shame. She's right. Again…"Yeah, yeah," I said gruffly. "I'll try." Patting my hand, Tooth gave me one last, sad smile.

"I gotta go. Got a palace to run and all. Take care of my boy- but I'm checking on Jack tomorrow." She gave me a look that clearly said there was no room for disagreement. Nodding, I cleared away the table and said; "See ya then."

By the time I turned round, she was already gone, a small breeze the only evidence that here she had been. Racing outside as I suddenly remembered the blanket- Jack's blanket. With a loud crack! lightning and thunder lit up the night sky, and suddenly water pelted down from the heavens, soaking my fur through and through.

Ah, the blanket! Then I paused. S'not like the coldness o' ah wet blanket is gonna bother Frosty. I raced through my Warren to the area where I had left the blanket, lying on a rock. The golem came into view first, then the large boulder with said blanket draped over it. Sighing, I grabbed it and raced back inside where it was warm and cosy. May as well bring him th' blankie an' check on him.

Navigating the tunnels swiftly, I hopped to where Jack's room was. The arched door came into view first- thick, heavy wood with engravings carved into it. Hoisting the sopping blanket onto my shoulder, I tried my best to open the door quietly. Despite my efforts, the sound of wood scraping on rock and rubble echoed startlingly in the silence. Giving up, I shoved the door open impatiently.

Just in time to see Jack plunge into a raging river.

The blanket dropped from my paws and I left it there, darting forth to where Jack had stood moments ago.

It's okay. It's okay. He'll pop up soon, laugh, an' tease me fer 'caring'. He'll swim to shore. Any minute now… I stood there pathetically, waiting.

So sure.

Doubt tugged at me. What if he can't swim? 'Course he swims, water is practically a friend.

"But then why haven't yah come up yet? What if yer racing deeper underground? Screw this." I said aloud, and then jumped in.

Ice-cold water seared me like fire, but I determinedly ignored it. Searching the gloom for Jack, I let the river tug me deeper, hoping it would lead me in the same direction as Jack. Nothin'! No, no, no! My lungs were beginning to burn, and I reluctantly kicked upwards for some oxygen. My head broke the surface and I took a deep breath before darting under again. I looked around desperately, but I couldn't see two feet in front of me.

Jack…

Please, don't die. Ahm sorry. I'll try harder, ah promise.

Don't die…

And suddenly, a beacon of bright blue hope erupted into existence, and there, attached to the illuminated staff, a silhouette…Jack.

I swam forward with powerful strokes, and grasped his ankle as it drifted out in front of me. Frosty came into view, and I gasped, some of my precious air supply bubbling up. Jack's eyes were wide open, and glowing a bright blue- just as bright as his staff. His hair swayed around him in the current, clothes billowing, and skin as pale as death…

Abruptly, he started to thrash, and I tightened my grip considerably, scared that I might lose him to the river again. I began to swim back to the surface, but it was painstakingly slow, with Jack dragging behind me. My lungs were starting to constrict again, and I could only imagine what Frosty felt like. Finally, eventually, we reached the surface, and I took in a gulp of air that burned my throat. Water splashed my face every so often, but I ignored it.

Shifting my grip on Jack so that I now held him around his waist, I was terrified to see his eyes were closed, eerie blue light nowhere to be seen. I checked his hand and saw that, yes, he still had his staff, but his grip was lax. Grabbing it before it could be tugged away by the current, I swam towards shore, trying to keep Jack's head above the water too. Reaching the banks, I hauled Jack and his stu**d stick onto shore. Staring at his face, I was unsure of what to do. "Tooth's gonna kill me." I whispered, but I didn't really care. Turning Jack onto his side, I hit his back- hard. "C'mon, Frosty. I don't jump into rivers fer anyone. Breathe!" I hit him again. "Don't you dare make me give you mouth-to-mouth. I'll kill ya mahself." Again, I hit his back. Water spewed forth, coating the ground in a thin layer of liquid. Jack gurgled, and I rubbed his back soothingly. "That's it, that's it. Jus' breathe, mate." He puked out more water, and I held onto his arm, feeling useless. He slumped on the ground, breathing slowly and shallowly. Brushing the hair that was plastered to his forehead out of his face, I sighed, relieved. "Thought I lost ya there, mate."

"Y-you…" He whispered, then coughed.

"Yeah, me. Shh, jus' breathe. Yer alright, don't worry."

"I-I th-thought-"

"I know, I know." I soothed him, half-hating how sickeningly sweet my voice was. But as long as it was comforting to Jack, it was fine. He relaxed and I pulled him closer, nuzzling his head. "Ya scared mah there, kit."

He sighed and said, "You care…" That impish grin of his – albeit small – tugged at his lips.

"Prove it. I'll blatantly deny it."

Then I cuffed him gently on the head. He spluttered and stared up at me in shock.

"Don'tcha ever do somethin' like tha' again!" Just then, I noticed blood - a dark, purple-blue colour - trickling down his face and coating his leg. "C'mon, let's get ya cleaned up, Frosty."

"'K," Jack sighed softly, his eyes sliding shut.

"Don't do tha', stay awake, mate." I shook him, but he was already out.

Again.

Part Eleven

Bunnymund

I stared down at the immobile bundle known as Jack. Damn immortal boy fell unconscious.

Again.

Pinching the bridge of my very sensitive nose, I huffed out a breath of air impatiently. Now what?

I rolled my eyes at myself. Fix th' injuries. Shout a' him. Paint more googies. Nodding at these thoughts in agreement, I picked up a sopping Jack Frost and laid him out onto his bed. "Bandages…where th' hell do ah keep 'em?" I turned around and stared at the enclosed room of earth. "Bandages…bandages…" Then, spotting the door of Frosty's room, I suddenly recalled their previously-forgotten location and exclaimed, "Yeah, the cupboard. O' course."

Hopping out through the wooden door, I raced along winding passageways of ancient rock until I came to another room; this one a simple arched door leading into a room with tall oak shelves stacked with everything I might find myself- or, in this case- Jack requiring at any one point of our looming immortal existence. Stepping closer to one shelf in particular – this one bearing an odd whorl on it from the way the tree grew –I inspected the contents.

Vials and glasses; tubes and pots; half-dried plants and small canteens of strange luminescent liquids; these were just a few of the things that greeted my roving eyes. Scratching my ear in exasperation at not having found what I was searching for, I trailed deeper into the maze of shelving. Coming to a halt at another shelf, I shoved aside a small pile of dusty books, the front cover of one being Gardening 101; To Gardening 100 001; For The Experts before finally finding what I was looking for - an average-sized red Medical Aid Kit that I knew would be stocked with fresh bandages (unlike some unmentioned people, some of us could actually survive a week on their own without needing to be patched up). Grabbing the handle, I pulled the box out from its station and began the quick route back to Jack.

A bleeding Jack.

Speeding up a little at that sobering thought, I arrived at his door much quicker than I had left it for the Cupboard Room. Bashing the door inward with my shoulder, I stepped inside the icy room. My eyes darted to where I expected Frosty's prone, unconscious body, only to find two flinty blue eyes- very much aware- staring back at me. Pausing in the doorway, I awkwardly murmured out a "'Ey, mate." Jack grinned a little and tipped an imaginary hat. "How ya feelin'?" I continued.

He shrugged. "As good as someone can feel after plunging into a river, bashing into numerous rocks, then being hit on the head by a kangaroo, and finally passing out. Again." He gave me a pointed look.

"Well, it's yer own fault, Frosty. Do ya have a death wish, or somefink? Felt like going fer ah swim?"

"For your information, I fell in. Because someone was lurking outside my door, then decided to scare me." Another pointed look.

I waved my hand dismissively. "Ack, I wasn't tryin' tah scare ya. Yer just naturally jumpy. Like a widdle girl." Jack glared at me again, and huffed out a breath of air through his nose.

Then he stared around the cavernous room and spluttered out a quiet, barely-there 'Thanks'.

Tooth's words drifted back to me eerily, bringing guilt with them; 'Jack hasn't had a friend for three centuries; I think you and I both know he's probably forgotten how.' I winced at the internal monologue. Great. Just what I needed. Tooth as a conscience. Sighing, I muttered out an equally-quiet 'Yer welcome', then hopped closer to Jack where he sat on the bed, the Medical Aid Kit clutched firmly within my capable paws.

"What's that?" He eyed the box suspiciously.

Placing it on the bed beside his sitting form, I said, "Jus' some medical supplies," I gestured at his bleeding head and leg. "Yunno, fer that." Frosty scooted a little bit away from where I stood.

"Ah, you know what? I feel way better. Just fine. So you can go and put that back now." He nodded at the medical supplies.

Laughing, I opened the box and pulled out some disinfectant and bandages. "Nice try, mate, but I ain't leaving 'til I've patched ya up." Out of my peripheral vision I saw his shoulders droop, causing a shot of sympathy to dart through me. Poor kid's probably nevah had anyone to look aftah him. Ignoring his discomfort, I began to clean his head wound. Luckily, it was just a flesh wound, so no stitches were needed. Then, ignoring the bandages, I reached inside the box again and pulled out one of those waterproof, high-quality fabric plasters. Placing a bandage on top of the wound, I then stuck the plaster on over the bandage. "This way, it won't hurt when we 'ave to take the plaster off." I explained to him, but he stayed quiet. "Now fer yer leg." I said. Without my having to prompt him, he lifted his leg onto the bed, still wet from his unexpected swim. This wound was a little worse than the other one, but would still heal without requiring stitches. This time I just wrapped his leg in bandages, and used a plaster to hold them down. "There," I huffed. "that wasn't so bad, was it?"

He sniffed and shrugged, the perfect poster boy for a broody and stubborn teenager.

"I, uh, would give ya some clothes, but I don't have…Never saw the need." My voice was awkward.

"That's okay. S'not like I feel the cold anyways." Jack grinned impishly.

Chuckling, I said, "Okay, then. I'll leave you to get some sleep." Deciding to just leave the box where it was- who knew, maybe Jack would get himself hurt again- I turned for the door.

Large guffaws of laughter startled me. "Yeah, right. I'm not going to sleep! I've been 'out' for most of the last couple days, and I'm sick of it." I turned around, about to tell him exactly what I thought of that, but puppy-dog eyes implored me, and I found that my tongue wouldn't work. "C'mon, Bunny! I'm a Spirit, not a little toy you lock up." Frosty's eyes were wide and pleading.

My inner Tooth voice made an appearance again; 'Just…give him a chance. Try to be…nice.'

"Oh, fer Moon's sake," I grumbled under my breath. Then, raising it, I said, "Fine. But I swear, if ya get up tah anything…" I warned him.

"I won't!" He raised his hands in the universal 'I surrender' motion. Inspecting his face, I saw only truth.

Shifting from one hind paw to the other, I stared at him impatiently, and huffed out; "Well, then, what're ya sitting around fer? There are googies tah paint." Frosty beamed and hopped off the bed, racing after me.

Neutral

Pitch's Lair

"Have we located the brat yet?" The voice a quiet, deadly hiss.

"Yessss…Seems the little Guardian is hiding in that pooka's Warren." Another spat out venomously.

Chuckles enveloped the dark, cavernous cave. "Good…We'll kill two birds with one stone. Just another thing that Pitch failed to do…"

The chuckles became louder, darker, enveloping the room in the tight grip of Fear.

The man- no, monster – dressed in ebony robes bared his pointed teeth and gnashed them, then began to sing a lullaby in a twisted, cruel voice that overflowed with evil;

"Come little children, come with me
Safe and happy you will be
Away from your homes, now let us run
With Fear, you'll have so much fun

Oh, little children, please don't cry
Fear wouldn't hurt a fly
Be free, be free, be free to play
Come down in my cave with me to stay

Oh, little children, please don't squirm
Those ropes, I know, will hold you firm
Fear tells you this is true
But sadly, Fear lied to you

Oh, little children, you mustn't leave
Your families for you will grieve
Their minds will unravel at the seams
Allowing me to haunt their dreams

But surely, all of you must know
That it is time for you to go
Oh, little children, you weren't clever
Now you shall stay with me forever…"

Part Twelve

Jack

Another dip of the brush into velvety-purple paint, another fresh layer added, another pattern intricately drawn…

The quietness between Bunny and I was of the comfortable sort. We were just two Spirits, painting the night away while living in this moment of silence.

Seconds ticked by.

A googie ran past my leg, and said object was covered in different shades of green, stars glowing amidst the background of its chocolate form. I shifted a little more on the vibrant green of the grass that lay beneath me.

Suddenly, a clearing of ones' throat broke the companionable silence. "Ah forgot tah tell ya before…'cause, uh, yunno…Anyways, Tooth is coming over tomorrow- which is actually gonna be in ah couple o' hours. Little spitfire doesn't trust mah with ya…" Bunny's furry face fell as he recalled the fact that a couple of hours ago I had nearly drowned.

Or would I have? Something…happened…

I lifted my eyes off of my little art 'project'. "Oh, okay. Cool." Secretly, I was smiling inside. Tooth was coming. To see me.

Death.

Murderer.

Insidious, insignificant, unimportant.

…But they think I'm worth checking up on.

The Guardians.

Aster's hand darted out again and grabbed a plain, eggshell-white googie. Expertly covering it in a sunflower yellow colour, he continued, "You are okay, ahm I right?" I saw him peak at me sideways.

Am I okay?

I took a deep breath.

He didn't mean it like that.

Don't overreact. Don't get angry.

He doesn't know.

I gritted my teeth and measured my breaths. "Yeah, I'm fine."

He shifted, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden turn of conversation. "Are you sure? Ah mean, ya did nearly drown. Are ya really okay?"

There it is again.

Am I 'okay'?

"Yes," I spat out, the warning in my voice barely withheld. Aster's eyes flicked to my tense face. He opened his mouth again, more words tumbling out.

"Yer not alone, Jack. You can tell mah anything, okay?"

'Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.'

On willpower alone, I stayed silent. Shrugging my shoulders, I continued painting, wishing, wishing that time could rewind a few minutes, back to that quiet, comfortable silence that had existed.

"Yer so stubborn!" The Kangaroo growled out. "I'm tryna help ya, and whaddaya do? Shove it in my face…"

Don't say anything.

Don't do anything.

Breath.

In, out, in, out…

His sigh of disgust cut through my heart as sharp and as quick as any knife. "Selfish." he sighed quietly, most likely thinking my 'pathetic human ears' wouldn't hear him.

I froze.

I could handle being called stubborn, a brat, demon spawn, cruel, s****d, a waste of space, useless, irritating…

But selfish?

'Are you okay?'

'Selfish.'

"No." I spat out, and, viciously throwing the paintbrush onto the ground, I stood up in one swift movement and began to slowly back away, eyes riveted on Aster's hard face.

His eyebrows scrunched together, eyes slightly confused, mostly cold. "What?"

"No, I am not okay. Three centuries, Bunny! For three hundred years I waited- and for what?! No-one came. No-one cared. No-one heard me. And I knew that, understood why! Hell," I gasped out desperately, "were I them I would've ignored me too! But I am not okay. Because I may have deserved to be treated as I was, as I am, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt." My face crumpled. "Every single second, of every minute, of every hour, day, week, month, year, decade, century…I hurt. And nobody cared, Aster!" I let out a humourless laugh. "Not even the Man in the Moon did! And he made me!" I screamed, the gaping chasm in my chest ripping open, flames of familiar agony licking at the edges. "And selfish?! How can I be selfish?" whispered I, "I've never had anything to call mine, save for a staff and the clothes on my back…no house, no family, no bed nor belongings…and I…I don't know why…" My voice broke, and simultaneously I collapsed onto my knees, hands automatically moving to protect myself.

I continued, "And I- I'm sorry.

So sorry…

…for existing…" A sob caught in my throat, a burn in my eyes.

I was cold, like that day so many years ago.

It was dark.

The Wind was howling.

And I was all alone once more, trapped in the confines of my mind, reliving the torturous centuries that were my pitiful, continuous, never-ending rebirth.

But then there were two coils of warmth on either side of me, pulling me close, enshrouding me in their embrace. "Shh," a voice quietened my cries. "Ahm here now. Ahm sorry. It's my fault- not yours. Shh, don't ever wish not to be. Ahm sorry. Please…ahm here. It's not true, you're the most selfless person I know…don't ever apologize…"

In that precious moment, I just let myself be held, and pretended that I was loved.

That I had a brother.

That someone could actually love me.

That I was worthy of such an emotion…

And every day that passed,

Of which I thought was my last,

I couldn't help but look up at the sky,

And hope for kinder lies…

Part Thirteen

Neutral

On a night that seemed like every other, and yet was soon to become a legend among Spirits, a writhing black mass that reminded naïve onlookers of a cloud weighed down by the weight of promised rain blew across the sky, but those very same observers would soon realise that no such cloud graced the land today with its water – precious, nurturing liquid – and was actually a bringer of misery.

Of Fear.

Indeed, Fear strode across the sky, a turmoil of darkness, of evil.

In a time that had long since passed, there had been a man, a general, a hero.

His name? Pitchiner K.

Yes, that man had been true at heart and mind. They called him the leader of the Golden Army. He had fought and slain his enemies- those who worshipped Fear.

Such a man was a role model to all that stood for the greater good and righteousness.

But it was too good to last. As all things must inevitably end, his time, too, had come to a close.

Not death.

But perhaps that would have been best…

His opposition, his enemies, were soon to become as much a part of him as the heart that thudded within his chest.

Pitchiner had a daughter, a lovely child with a tinkling laugh. She was young and pure and golden.

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf,

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day

Nothing gold can stay.

Seraphina was her name, and one day she was to become Mother Nature. Once, she had been golden- innocent, naïve, joyful – but that very same purity was so hard to keep- so fleeting, like a leaf in Autumn, struggling to hold onto the unyielding bark as it is pulled away by the Wind.

How wonderful she had started out, a tiny blossom birthed in summer, a beautiful, glittering amethyst.

As with her father, it was too good to last. Time passed, and she was outcast from her fathers' life.

Not by choice.

So her father sank to his knees, finally defeated after all those years. All those wars.

That time of joy fading to the bright of day, finally facing reality. All the ugly truths revealed by that cruel light than shone when night slumbered.

Because nothing gold can stay…

Not the Golden Army.

Not the innocence of childhood.

Not the trueness of a heart.

Why? You might question, aghast.

A Golden Pitch was stronger than silver; it did not rust.

It was worthier; of more value.

More beautiful; its child a glittering jewel of life.

But as all things do, he had his weakness.

His just so happened to be his daughter.

'Daddy!' she screamed in terror. I jerked awake from a restless sleep, my eyes flying open with the speed of matching horror. My breath came in pants, my heart galloping like a horse's hooves against the earth. It could not be. She was safe. She must be safe. 'DADDY!' that voice that was hauntingly familiar echoed from within the prison, filled with undeniable panic, complete and utter despair. I flew out of the chair I had been dozing on, the keys to the barred cage already in my hands.

My child was in danger.

They had her.

She needs me. She needs me.

Tears were streaming down my face. Please, not her. Anyone but her. Not my child. Oh G**, please. I tried to jam the key into the lock, but my hands trembled so much that they slipped through my icy fingers and bashed into the dirt below. A sob caught in my throat.

Seraphina…

My innocent flower was with those monsters.

NO!

Swooping down, I violently grabbed the keys and shoved them into the keyhole, then slammed my shoulder into the door simultaneously.

That heart that had beat with such vigour from within my chest stopped. My eyes jerked from side to side, searching.

She was not here…

Relief filled me, causing my knees to weaken so much that I fell to the ground. Dust billowed up and around me, clouding my vision until I could barely see.

Still, I saw them. No such mercy of not seeing my destruction was given to me.

The bright glow of their eyes pierced me like spears. A mocking, washed-out gold that glittered with malice. Hisses echoed around me, and I shuddered.

I knew what they were capable of. The evil things they had inflicted.

But she was safe.

And that was all that mattered.

These were my last thoughts as Fear overcame me, destroying Pitchiner until all that was left was Pitch Black.

The Nightmare King had defeated the General of the Golden Army.

That was how a hero was lost, and a villain born.

.

.

.

But is something ever truly lost?

Or just hidden beneath the shadows of night?

Part Fourteen

Tooth

So perhaps it was paranoia, but honestly, who could blame me? I know I should have left them some space, but I did say I would check up on my little Sweet Tooth, so it's not like I'm just invading their privacy. Something bad could happen, and then what? Bunny would help Jack; inevitably, he was a Guardian, and Guardian's help children, and Snowflake was, in all sense of the word, a child.

A child who had aged with a great burden set heavily upon his shoulders, but a child nevertheless. There was proof of such. He would play pranks – he was a prankster through and through (and a good enough one to rival even Aprelle Foel, whose holiday celebrated such bodacious humour on the day of April Fools) – and he adored games, having invented many throughout his young (in comparison) life. Not to mention that characteristic naughty streak that left Bunnymund screaming at the top of his lungs. Really, though, if you guarded children, who ought to be able to handle children.

Not that I was judging, of course.

The Pooka was, to say the least, an admirable warrior and loyal friend. Throughout the years he had proven himself again and again, like the time where I'd had an ETCP (Emergency Tooth Collecting Problem) - and quite a terrible one at that! – and Bunny had helped me sneak out the Guardian meeting while North had a "cookie break", as he'd so eloquently put it, and McSnoozie…well, snoozed. I'd never forget the thrill of uncensored rebellion as I'd snuck out the back way.

And so what if I worried too much or was too "clingy"? Goodness knew Jack could use some ETLC (extreme tender loving care) after spending three centuries with ice as his only companion. Was I supposed to just move on? I knew Sweet Tooth wouldn't – couldn't – so how in the name of Tsar was I supposed to? He was my child.

And I know it's hypocritical, saying that he's my baby after having literally paid him no heed for the first, delicate part of his Spirit life. That didn't mean though that I was going to make the same mistake again.
Ever.

I'd learnt my lesson, and, by Moon, I wouldn't let anyone change my mind.

He was my son, goddammit, and that was that.

Satisfied, with my mind made up, I raised my eyes from where they had glassily been staring at the floor for the better half of ten minutes.

"North, I'm going, and you're either coming with me or you're baby-sitting the Yeti's," I said resolutely, much to the offense of several Yeti's that stood scattered around the Globe Room; their eyes glued to the scene unfolding before them.

North harrumphed, his big, snowy beard bouncing with his evident disapproval. "Toothy…"

"Don't you 'Toothy' me, Nicholas. I've decided."

"But zi boys…zey are bonding, and you vill interrupt bonding, ya?"

"He's my Sweet Tooth," I peered down at him from where I floated in the air, "and I did say I would come to see his progress." My lip wobbled as I attempted to sway him to my cause.

North softened. "Tooth," He patted my hand reassuringly, causing me to sway dangerously in the air, "you care for zi boy – vi all do…but you see… iz just…"

The loud sound of a bell being violently shook caused both of us to raise our heads. Sanderson stood near us, so that it were as if we were a triangle; each person forming a point, his eyes determined and somewhat irritated, but mainly just exasperated; having been used to our – admittedly – close-mindedness (we had a tendency to concentrate only on the members who…spoke. Verbally, that is) and an elf dangled from his gritty grasp, green, button eyes wide as it rigorously sucked on a green-and-red lollipop.

Symbols appeared above his head as he communicated. Jack is sleeping. I can feel his dream thread. Something about – his brows furrowed in befuddlement – a river? And a blue light. I think – he cocked his head as though he were straining to listen to some far-off song – yes, he's…afraid. Terrified, actually.

"That's it!" I ordered, my heart racing with the same frantic speed as my wings. My baby…he's scared…terrified. He needed me. "I'm leaving right now, and there will be no discussion!" The faeries that hovered beside me nodded in agreement, tiny arms folded over their chests in a show of protest.

Spinning round in a show of grace unrivalled in the Spirit World, I took flight through the window; today being calm and without clouds staining the sky, perfect for flight, in my opinion.

"Wait!" North yelled out, and in the same second I heard the insistent jangling of an elf's bell-hat being shook. "Wait for me, Toothy!"

"Use the slay!" I shouted back as I unlatched the window (this time without trouble, as it was quite warm today, for the North Pole) and hurriedly flew out. No way was I waiting for what I knew would turn into an hour, perhaps two, as North and Sanderson "got ready" for the journey to Australia. It was a miracle, I thought as I flew through the crisp, white tundra, that Nicholas managed to deposit presents in one night, all over the world.

My thoughts did not distract me from the dead weight of worry in my chest. But nothing would ease the aforementioned until I saw my baby with my own two eyes, held him and cuddled him, until the world faded away and all the pain along with it.

Little did Toothana know that at that very moment, a being far worse than Pitch was traveling through the sky on a mass of malevolent shadows, its thoughts twisted so much that insanity did not even begin to describe it. It had no heart, no soul nor consciousness in which to feel the consequences of its actions, only a burning, cold fire of desire, of deep-seated need, to quench its thirst for power, for ultimate control.

For the death of Jack Frost and the rise of Jokul Frosti; a creature filled to the brim with a Fear it gave freely.

For the possession of a Spirit that had destroyed their master with child-like ease; naïve to the strength they held.

They wanted him.

Part Fifteen

To be continued…