Chapter 1: What is my Centre?

Along the halls of Big Root, all was silent and all that can be heard was Yumiko's footstep. She hurriedly pass the hallway and few doors until she stop in front of a large door. She gulp before opening ready to be scolded by her tutor. As she open it, she saw no sign of no one so she was relieve.

She went in the library and pull a chair until someone blow at her ear. She yelp and turn around surprised to see it was Jack instead of her main tutor, Ombric.

"Chill, little Yumiko,"

"Jack! You scare the fear out of me!"

"A daughter of the Nightmare King has fears?"

"Stop teasing me!"

"I can't help it. You're cute when you're mad," he said calmly with a smirk on his face. she blush when he said that.

"Why...why are you here anyways?" she asked as she looked down to hide her blush. Jack notices her blushing. He didn't want to tease any further so he walk a little away from her.

"Ombric told me to teach you something today,"

"Huh? Why?" she asked.

"I don't know. He said he had something to do. Must be one of those serious Guardians thing,"

"You're a Guardian too, Jack,"

"I'm the Guardian of Fun. I bring fun not boredom," he said as he spin his staff.

"So... what are you going to teach me?" she asked as she took one of the biggest book in the library and put it on the table and open it. Jack's eyes widen as he saw that.

"Wo...wait! Does Ombric always use that book to teach you!?"

"Occasionally,... yes,"

"Well, we're not using that today...like ever," said Jack as swiftly went to Yumiko's side and quickly close the book.

Yumiko sits down and patiently waited for Jack's next orders. Jack went around the library few times and then he got an idea. He flew towards Yumiko, took her hand and fly out. She landed safely on the ground as she saw Jack's grin.

"Jack, are you okay?"

"Oh,... you have no idea," he said as he grin. He grab her by her hood, he flew out of the library through the window. He fly as fast as the wind as if he is part of the element. He made few crazy stunts which involves throwing Yumiko up in the sky.

"Oh my god! Stop doing that!"

"Don't worry. You never get hurt when you're beside me," he said which comforted her at first. "Yet..." he ended his reply.

"What do you mean yet?"

"Well...keep thinking," he said as he made a spin to scare the little girl. Yumiko hug him tightly to make sure she wouldn't fall. Jack smiles widely to see her so scared. Ironic seeing she is... the daughter of the Nightmare King. Few hours later, they landed beside a lake which seems so familiar to both of them.

"Jack...where are we?" she asked as Jack slowly put her down.

"My beginning..." he said softly as he freeze the lake. It only took a few minutes to realize where they are now. This was the place where Jack became a spirit. The place where... he...died. Jack saw her looking down, realizing what she was thinking. He snap her from her gloom by throwing snowballs at her.

"Jack! What was that for!?" she shouted. She wipe the snow off her face and spit few that entered her mouth. He chuckle as he spin his staff. He chuckle a little and stop walking.

"Darkness...it was the first thing I saw. It was so cold...So dark...But then...I saw the moon...The moon...Shine so bright on that night. The light chased the dark away..." he explained. Yumiko listen carefully to his story eventhough she knew from the first time.

"I thought I was all alone...The only one who wasn't believed in... That was until I met your dad, Pitch," he said. Yumiko frown at that statement. She knew Pitch was trying to make him join his army and planned to use Jack as a puppet back then. However, Pitch change afterwards.

"I didn't know why I was here in the first place... I was so confused...I had no purpose... I had no centre...,"

"A centre?"

"Yes...Something that you had in yourself from the very beginning...Only it takes some time to realize what and who you are," he said as he sigh. Yumiko carefully stand up on the ice as she tries to balance herself. Jack help her out by holding her hands.

"But you did find out,...afterwards..," Yumiko said. He simply nodded and smile as he make sure she won't fall.

"Tell me Yumiko...do you know what is your centre?"