Fire and Ice

by WritingInTheArena

Children all over the world are growing up. And they're growing up too fast, it seems. Something, or someone is taking their childhood, and their belief in the Guardians. As belief in them fades, the time has come for the Guardians to face an old foe once again. Pyri, the fire spirit, the childhood thief, and Pitch's Niece, is back.

1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Pyri

I perch on the top of the roof and grin to myself. The children are playing below, in plain sight. How very stupid. It's dusk. It's my time.

To be fair, it has been a long while since I was last seen, but they should know better. I can't even see any adults. Not that that's a problem wither way; they wouldn't be able to see me.

I spring down from the building and land lightly on my feet. To my knowledge, the guardians are in Russia at the moment, so I should be safe. I step lightly and carefully around the outside of the square, watching the children carefully. There's always a weak one. Generally the oldest. The one that's being conditioned by the adult into doubting the guardians. The question is… Who is it?

I tuck my hair behind my ear and stare hard at each of them.

Found her.

The tallest of the girls there, the one wearing the blue denim dress. She's the disbeliever. I take a couple of steps forward, carefully avoiding the children. They can't see me. But enough of them believe so that they can always feel something. If they walked through me, they'd know about it. I creep forwards and crouch in front of the child. She's got her eyes closed and is counting to 20, waiting for the other kids to hide. I smirk and touch her cheek lightly with my hand.

"So young." I murmur. My hand reaches under her chin and then pushes up, straight through her head. Her eyes snap open. "Pity really." I smirk. I pull my hand out and back off carefully. She blinks several times and then looks around scornfully.

"This is stupid." She grumbles. "I'm going inside guys!" She calls and several of the other children pop up out of the bushes, annoyed.

"What do you mean?" The whine as they run after her. I roll my eyes.

"Brats." I snarl and turn around, only to come face to face with the cold grey eyes of Jack Frost. I instantly leap up into a tree and watch him, on guard.

"What do you want?" I spit at him. He smirks.

"Oh this is just a polite, friendly social greeting." He drawls, sarcastically. "You know what I want, Pyri."

"To stop me? Is that it?" I ask him, cocking an eyebrow. He simply glares up at me. "Of course. Of course it is; all you ever want is to stop me." I snap. Jack nods once.

"Well, my dear Frost, you waited too long." I smirk. Jack frowns and looks around.

"What?"

"Night has arrived." I stand up on the tree branch and spread my arms wide. "It's my time."

I take one last look at Jack before evaporating into the night sky, laughing as I go.