"This wasn't a good idea," Jack mumbled as he hung upside down in front of an eyeless witch. He really needed to think before flying into every cave like it was an opening to Pitch's lair. He should really stop from attacking anything that moved, especially if they were witches that could easily disarm him.
"Of course it was a bad idea you idiotic child!" the witch hissed as she chipped ice off her walls. "What made you think that it was a good idea?"
"Ah…" Jack really didn't have a good idea as to why any of this was a good idea. About a week after the battle on Easter, Jack had started searching for Pitch. At first it started with just making sure if he was okay, but Jack couldn't find that hole in the ground again. The bed frame was even gone. The only thing left was a patch of lifeless earth that show where Pitch's home used to be.
After that, Jack flew around, looking in every dark crevice he could find. He looked under beds and in caves. He even went down to the Antarctic, but only found their dark tower of black sand and ice and unhappy, confusing memories. That was months ago. He was tempted to get the other guardians to help him, but he doubted –more like knew- that they wouldn't help him. Not after what happened at Easter. They would probably think he was crazy. Hell, he thought he was crazy, but something screamed for him to look for the man.
Jack gave a startled scream when something hard hit him in the chest. He looked up, well down, to see the witch had hit him in chest with his own staff. "Hey! What was that for?" he yelled outraged as he struggled against the ropes that restrained his body.
"I'm waiting on an answer boy," the witch told him as she waved his staff threateningly.
"Okay, okay! Sheesh! I don't really have a reason," he answered, not completely lying.
"You're lying," the witch said and she hit him again with his staff.
"Ow! No I'm not!" he yelled back. Great, now he's stuck with a crazy lady.
"You're not telling the complete truth either," the witch replied. "I may not have eyes, boy, but I have perfectly good ears."
Jack grumbled a cruse at the woman and was hit again. Before he could even ask what it was for, the woman pointed at her ears. He gave a sigh, but continued to glare at the witch. "I'm looking for someone."
The witch seemed satisfied with the answer and moved back over to her fire. Jack's heart leaped to his throat when he saw how close his staff got to the flames. "And does this person go by the name 'Pitch'?"
Jack looked at her in shock. "How did you know?"
The witch looked like she would have rolled her eyes if she had any. "Please, child. You were yelling the name the moment you entered my cave," the witch commented. "The dead could hear you from how loud you yelled."
Jack blushed in embarrassment. How could he forget that? "I know this is a stupid question, but do you know where Pitch is?" he sighed.
"And why would I know where the Nightmare King is?" the witch commented.
Jack perked when he realized the woman knew who Pitch was. "You know him?"
The woman scoffed. "Who doesn't, boy?"
Well, human children, for one, was what he wanted to say, but he held back. "I didn't know he was so famous."
The witch laughed, which sounded more like she was hacking up a lung. "Famous isn't the word for it, child. He ain't like you and your little guardians, in that little world. You remember what it was like before your little guardianhood," she grinned, teeth missing.
Jack grimaced, but he did know. It wasn't something he liked to think about.
"You were in your own little world, trying to gain the eyes of the living," she continued, reading right into him.
Jack froze. "You make it sound like you know me."
"Oh, I do Frost," she cackled. "I know you. Three hundred years and you couldn't bother to join a world other than the one you left behind. But what can you expect of a potential guardian than to be obsessed with belief of the living?"
Jack's fists clenched tightly. His anger caused his staff to spit out sparks of frost, even when it was grasped in the witch's hands. Her words rang truer than he wanted.
"Oh, does that anger you? Good." She relaxed on the pelts of her seat. She reached out blindly for the bowl beside her, picking up some sort of meat and putting it in her mouth. "You had chances to come into our world," she said, still chewing her food. He grimaced at the sight of her teeth gnashing the meat. "Many in fact, but that's not the point. Even with your lack of interest in ours, we knew of you. The moon's new chosen."
"Chosen?" Jack muttered in confusion.
The witch grinned, gristle in her teeth. "Yes," she drew out, sending a shiver down his spine. "We knew about you, we all did. You were Jack Frost, the new creation of the moon. Specifically chosen to be a guardian of children, so focused on the living, so childish in mind. Though, we had our doubts over the year. What with how long the moon left you out there, alone. We thought the moon had realized you were more like us, ready to let you go…" The woman frowned, sitting up and leaning toward him.
"Many of us doubted you'd be like those guardians that were as childish as the children they protected. Hiding in their little worlds. Many were right in this and still are. You are not like those four. You are free spirit, much like us. The moon barely has control on you, yet you still ignore the worlds around you." She looked at him with pity, or at least he assumed so. No eyes kind of put off his game at expression telling.
"I appreciate the retelling of my life and all, great story, really, but I thought I was here to get information on Pitch. Ever heard of him? Cause it seems like you only know of me!" By the end of his rant, Jack was wiggling in rage as he fought the ropes.
The witch gave him an unimpressed look and hit him with his staff.
"Ow," he dramatized.
"Insolent boy."
"Hag."
She jerked back like she was slapped before letting out a belly laugh he would usually reserve for North. "You'd fit in nicely, child."
How could he even be called a child when he was over three hundred years old? He looked over the witch and snorted. He was probably a child compared to her.
He was hit again.
"What was that for?" he hissed as his leg stung from the smack.
"You were thinking something rude."
Jack remained silent and the witch grinned.
"As I was saying before you interrupted, many of us grew tired with the wait. Will the moon finally pull its creation out of the shadows or were you to be another spirit tossed away."
He didn't wince, but he came close to it. He wondered the same thing, countlessly before. Even at times after becoming a guardian he wondered. He got answers as to why he was chosen, but they never came from the moon. It was always North and the others. He had so many questions, but none of them felt right to ask, not when he got what he wanted. He was recognized, he had people to spend time with. It felt wrong to question all that happened. Like he wasn't grateful. He was. R-really.
The thought of even talking to other spirits…never really crossed his mind. Sure, he talked to them. He knew a lot of them, well more like knew of a lot of them. He talked to a few, but nothing substantial. Most spirits didn't hang around kids. The times he was around other spirits were at parties he wasn't invited to. That's where he heard most of the stories. That's where he learned about Pitch Black and other spirits that had their hand in the living.
"Maybe it was to your benefit-"
"Wait, what was for my benefit?" Jack interrupted.
He should have expected to be hit again. "Weren't listening, were ya?"
"Not really," Jack forced through his gritted teeth. That was going to bruise. "Stopped when you said something about me being another spirit to be tossed or something."
"Stupid boy, I don't even know why I bother with you."
"Maybe you should untie me and-"
"You apparently don't want to know where the Nightmare King is," she commented.
"I wasn't saying that." He wanted to know. He's been trying to find the man for the better part of a year.
"Then pay attention," she ordered, giving a glare only she could. Cause she has no eyes. None. He was pretty sure they were clawed out.
"I will, I just don't know why I have to be tied up to hear this!"
"We thought you were to be a lost spirit. Some thought you'd be something that would vanish soon enough, like others before you. Some like I, thought you'd be just fine out of the moon's power and finally come to our realm, but we'll never find out now."
Great, she was ignoring him. If what she was saying wasn't so interesting, he'd have demanded to be let go.
"There were those that wouldn't chance the possibility of you being lost if you weren't strong enough on your own. The moon just needed a little nudge into action. Some had smaller plans than what was used, but there was only one who could pull it off successfully and attacking the guardians were their best bet."
"Whoa, wait, back up-"
The witch grabbed a handful of the meat beside her and shoved it in Jack's awaiting mouth, sufficiently silencing him. Jack begrudgingly chewed the food. It was delicious. He was angry about this. He'd complain later.
"You see where this is going, don't cha?"
He did and he didn't like it.
"You probably noticed how easy the battle was, considering the Nightmare King's power. It wasn't easy, parse, but you shouldn't have won."
Jack swallowed, food suddenly tasting bland.
"A battle so easy that weakened guardians with the belief of a handful of children won? A child's belief is fragile, but that isn't the points I wish to make," she waved her hand as if brushing away what was said.
"What you're saying is, this battle was planned?" Jack droned out.
She grinned again. "Not as dumb as I pegged you."
"Thanks."
"Maybe it was curiosity of the new guardian that drew the Nightmare King out in the light, to know your strengths and weaknesses, or maybe it was to keep you from vanishing like many others of the moon's creation. I am not too sure myself. I don't dare say that I understand the man," she said as she pointed her finger at Jack.
Jack gave her an unimpressed look, as well as he could since he was still hanging upside down. "And you claim to know me?" he grumbled.
The witch actually shrugged at him. "You're child's play. Spirits of your like will always be easy, especially when so young and unaware of the worlds around them." She waved her hand in a half circle and the next thing Jack knew was what it felt to have his head connect with the floor. For those that don't know, it hurt. A lot. He couldn't even catch his staff when she tossed it over. "If you want to know where the man you seek is near. All you have to do is stop avoiding what has always welcomed you."
Jack groaned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means to stop being a blind fool," the witch spat.
…
It wasn't worth making the joke. He may have his staff, but he was sure he'd only be tied back up if he made the joke. She looked ready to tie him back up the moment he'd say it too. He's pretty sure she reads minds. "But what am I blind to?" he pressed, rolling over and climbing to his feet slowly. God, his head hurt.
"I fear you hit your head too hard, child."
"You're the one that dropped me!"
"Either that or you're stupid," she continued, ignoring him. She sighed, shaking her head at him. "You can't even bother to read being the lines. The Nightmare King has been where he's always been."
What did that even mean? "But-"
If the woman could roll her eyes, she would have, but instead her hand waved again. Jack tensed, ready for ropes to tied him up. They didn't come. Instead the fire that lit the small cave was doused.
"Shit, really?" Jack grumbled. Lifting his staff, glowing ice formed and lit the room. There was nothing, not even the fur blankets that piled up where the witch was sitting. "Really!?" Damn witch. With a sigh, Jack sat down on the floor with a frown. The ache in his head had faded, thankfully, but his mind raced with what the witch could have meant.
Pitch is where he's always been. Apparently that doesn't mean a hole in the ground.
Stop avoiding where you are welcomed. Dominos? Honestly, he has no idea what that means. He never avoids any place really. He's everywhere that kids are and-
He thumped his head against his staff. If only the witch was there to hit him for him.
He's usually not this oblivious.
Standing back up, Jack took flight and left the cave, only to stop at the lip of the opening. He had no idea where to search. The spirit realm was different than his. He wouldn't even know the first place to look for Pitch.
The wind push against him, urging him up into the air. And so he trusted his longtime friend and lifted into the air. "Let's go."
Time passed. Hours maybe. He wasn't sure. The wind took him over places that he's never seen in his three hundred years. It was strange, exhilarating, and it created a longing within him that he didn't know he had. So many spirits saw him, some even waved. They were different than what he was used to, yet still familiar to him.
After what felt like eternity-he was positive the wind dragged it out- he finally touched down in a darkened forest somewhere in Germany. "Are you sure he's here?" Jack muttered in awe as he took in the forest. Dark and alluring, sending his heart racing, but still he felt calmed by his surroundings. It reminded him of Pitch, oddly enough.
The wind pushed him again.
"Okay, I get it," Jack laughed, going on foot through the woods. His only guide being the occasional gust of wind.
It wasn't long before he heard laughter, which only urged him to hurry toward the sound. He stepped through the trees to find a familiar young woman sitting at an old lawn table with a laughing older man that Jack had no trouble recognizing. "Finally," he panted out, gaining the two's attentions. "I found you."
Pitch's mouth parted in shock. "Frost?"
"Do you know how hard it is to find you?" Jack demanded, staying just at the edge of the little clearing.
"Not particularly," Pitch answered.
Jack couldn't help but smile at bit at that. "I had to get directions from a blind witch."
This caused the woman to snort out an undignified laugh. Pitch even looked like he wanted to laugh as well.
"I bet he means Helga," the woman barely whispered through her giggling.
"Well, you've found me," Pitch mused, looking comfortable as he leaned back in his chair. "Do you mind telling me what you had in mind to do once you found me?"
Jack opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. What was his reason anyways? He wanted to make sure Pitch was alright, and he was. Jack could have left after seeing the two, but he hadn't. He wanted Pitch to know he looked for him. He wanted the man's attention on him. These thoughts did little to calm him. To be precise, they sent his heart racing at what they implied.
"Father, leave the poor thing alone, he's searched for you and that should be enough," the woman said, saving Jack from answering, but also giving him new alarming information. Pitch had a daughter.
Pitch sighed and pointed at the chair between them. "Then how about you join us, Frost? Since you came all this way."
Jack was bounding across the clearing before he even could think. He slipped easily in the chair and shared a smile with Pitch's daughter, before smirking at Pitch himself.
"So, tell us what made you decide to come into our realm. I highly doubt I was your soul purpose." Pitch placed a cup in front of Jack, while his daughter, who introduced herself as Seraphina, poured him some tea.
Jack wasn't about to tell him that Pitch was the entire reason, so instead he said, "So this witch…"
X
"It seems your plan went better than you expected," Seraphina commented once Frost had left to do whatever frost spirits do.
"It would seem," Pitch agreed. He never expected for Jack to come into their world, at least this soon.
"I think he likes you."
Pitch tried and failed not to roll his eyes. "We have much in common, that is all."
"He likes you."
"Seraphina," he warned, not ready to deal with her ranting about this insistently.
She held her hands up in defense, though a bit too smug for his tastes. "I'm just saying, he came all this way here for you. No one else. Not to see this world, not to be a part of it. The only reason he now wants to be here is because he saw it when searching for you."
Pitch remained silent, refusing to think about what she told him.
"Just think about it."
He will not.
"I bet we'll see him again soon."
…At least that was a thought he didn't mind to ponder on.