(If you haven't already noticed, this is a sequel to a previous fanfic. I would highly recommend reading that one first, then coming back to this. Link is at the bottom).

Chapter 1

In Which I Lace A Corset

Autumn had taken over in the town. The warmth of summer had faded and the days got shorter. People erected scarecrows in their yards, haunted houses in their garages, even a corn maze in town square. Every convenience store now carried bags of individually wrapped candy and cheap masks. The slight August breezes had been replaced by a chilly wind that left traces of frost on red leaves in the morning.

That wasn't because it just happened to be particularly cold, though. This town just happened to be visited regularly by Jack Frost himself. You believe in Jack Frost, right? You should. He's real. They're all real; Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, heck even the Groundhog! How do I know? I'm the Witch of the Wind. How did I get this way? I died.

I won't bother you with the details, but the basics are that I was in a nearby city and ended up taking a high dive off a tall building. A month later I woke up and the Man in the Moon (yeah, he's real too) told me what I was. I walked back to my town and my apartment was cleared out, my best friend was blaming herself and my name was on a grave marker.

Rona Valentine

Beloved daughter, sister and friend

May 28th 1994-November 6th 2012

It's been almost a full year and it still creeps me out to look at it. But I've come to terms with it. Besides, it came with some perks. I can fly now, and control the wind. I can even cast spells. Most people can't see me anymore, sort of like I'm a ghost, but if someone believes in me they can see me. Like Ashley, my best friend. After the incident a few months back Jack and Jamie got her to believe in me so she could see me.

The 'incident'? Oh, nothing too big, I just saved the world. Well, maybe not the world. But it was still kind of a big deal. I had become friends with the Guardians, that is some of the supernatural creatures specially chosen by the Man in the Moon to protect the children of the world. The Guardians are Santa, or North as he prefers to be called, the Easter Bunny (Bunny) the Tooth Fairy (Toothiana or Tooth) and the Sandman who we call Sandy. Oh, and Jack Frost. He's still pretty new, though.

In fact, he was only chosen as a Guardian when Pitch Black, the Boogeyman, rose up against them to destroy the children's belief. They stopped him, obviously, or I wouldn't be telling this story. They thought he was dead for a while, but one day they found him snooping around the North Pole, and that's when everything started going wrong.

Turns out a girl named Envy had been whispering to him, urging him to attack the Guardians. When he was captured, she started whispering to the Guardians themselves, turning them against one another. With the help of Mother Nature I was able to break the spell on Pitch and break him out so we could track her down.

In the end, she put a spell on me that ended with me killing her. There's no other way to put it, no going around it. I killed someone. Without Ashley's support I'm not sure what I would have done, having to live with that.

Especially since Pitch thought I had cast a spell on him to make him love me. I hadn't, but I cast another spell under the pretense of breaking the previous spell to make him hate me. It was probably one of the most painful things I've ever had to do. I haven't seen him since.

Since then, I've been traveling a lot. Sometimes I take Ashley with me, or Jack will tag along, but lately I've been alone a lot. It gives me time to think, but sometimes that isn't the best thing. When my mind starts taking me where I don't want it to, I now it's time to go back to Ashley. She'll always pull me out of it.

I've been practicing my spells, too. It comes a lot easier to me now, calling up emotions using memories and using that to fuel magic. It's incredible to see; Ashley says it reminds her of that song from Pocahontas; the colors of the wind.

I wonder what it looked like when I put that last spell on Pitch? It was months ago and I still missed him. Sometimes I could even hear him calling me 'little witch' with that sarcastic affection of his…

"Hey! Pouty! Help me lace this up!" I smiled and shook my head as Ashley pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, sure." It was Halloween night finally. I'd always loved Halloween. This time last year Ashley and I had gotten dressed in identical witch costumes (the irony doesn't escape me). We wore matching black miniskirts, ripped tights, heeled boots, black corsets and pointy hats. This year we'd made some modifications.

I was still in the clothes I'd worn when I died; a long black coat, dark wash jeans, black shoes. But I didn't need to dress like a witch; I was one. Ashley was wearing a long black skirt this year, and a black lace overcoat with long sleeves that only tied across the chest. Underneath was the corset from last year, which she was having some trouble with.

I pulled the strings tighter from behind her and she squealed, "Not so tight!" I rolled my eyes at her and loosened it a bit, then tied it. She turned with her arms out. "Well?" "You look nice. Kind of gothic, but sort of elegant at the same time." She sighed dramatically.

"And it's wasted. I can't believe I have to bring Matt trick-or-treating. Why can't Aunt Maureen do it herself?"

"Because she's working tonight?"

"Yeah, but why do I have to do it?"

"Because you're a nice person. And you can't resist free candy." Ash pushed me lightly.

"Why do you have to use reasonable arguments?" I laughed.

"Because you don't!"

"Not yet, but just wait until I finish school!" Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that Ashley had enrolled in college? It was a big step for the former party-girl. I was excited for her, but at the same time a bit jealous that she was going to move on with her life and I never would. Before it had been my goal to go to college, grad school, get a good job and live well. At least I got to sit in with her during classes, and study with her. It was a good quasi-education.

A loud bang caught both of our attentions, and we left the bedroom. Matt was in the small living room of Ashley's apartment, throwing a tantrum because they hadn't left yet. "All the good candy will be gone!" He whined and complained until Ashley threatened to tell his mother, then went to finish her makeup.

A coat of dark red lipstick later and we were out the door.

The wind carried me behind them, kicking up leaves and making the trees creak ominously. I thought it was a pretty good effect for Halloween. We had been out for about an hour, and Matt was still just as hyper as he was when we'd started. I figured he'd snuck a few pieces of candy even though we hadn't checked it to make sure it was safe yet.

It was a good thing we'd gone with Matt; I caught sight of three older kids grabbing other kid's bags and hitting them if they fought back.

"Kids really suck, huh?" Ashley glanced at me and I gestured to them, grinning. "Want to get involved?" "Oh hell yes."

A skeleton, a pirate and Edward Cullen had almost finished mugging Frankenstein on an unlit part of the street when a woman's voice stopped them.

"Leave him be." Ashley stood there, hands on her hips, the wind whipping around her. I had to hand it to her; she looked really witch-like.

"Or what?" Sneered the Twi-idiot. Ashley grinned madly. "Don't you know who I am?"

"A weirdo!" The pirate supplied, and his friends laughed. Ashley's laughter mocked theirs.

"No. I'm the Witch of the Wind." With that, the wind picked up, lifting her off the ground as she raised her arms towards them. The kids screamed and began running, the wind pushing them along even faster. Only Frankenstein was left. He blinked a few times, grabbed his trick-or-treat bag and stammered a thank you before running back towards him mother.

Ashley and I high-fived, laughing hysterically. "That was awesome! Man, I love Halloween!"

I looked around the street to make sure no one had seen us, and my smile faded as I realized that I couldn't see a certain someone at all.

"Ashley, where's Matt?"

Yeah, yeah, it took my forever to start this story again. I had a lot more trouble writing it than I did Whispers on the Wind. Hope you like it! Please review, favorite and follow if you do!

If you're looking for the first story, Whispers on the Wind, click here - s/9203834/1/Whispers-on-the-Wind