Chapter 2: Flying Blind

Jack followed the dark tunnel, his hand a guide as he walked to the light and noise at the end of the tunnel. His hand fell to his side as he stepped out of the tunnel and into a world completely opposite of the world outside. Where the castle outside was serene and peaceful, the castle inside was immersed in a sea of people and creatures that Jack had never seen before. Bunnymund and Sandy had left Jack to himself, allowing him to explore things on his own.

Lights basked the room in golden warmth that came from large crystal sconces and a large crystal chandelier overhead. In the center of the chandelier was a golden fire that was supported by a golden disk and chains; it was constant and bright as the sun that had a source that couldn't be seen or placed. The floors were marble and the columns were emblazoned with mosaic art, each one depicting their own story. Jack had no idea what those stories were about and turned his attention back to the patrons inside.

Some were familiar. There was the Ground Hog, whose eyes darted nervously about the room. He looked ready to jump out of his skin at the slightest sound and movement. The spirit of Halloween was here as well, spinning and tossing his pumpkin head about for some interested party goers. Their laughs and claps, however, were exchanged for screams as they ran from the snakes and spiders that crawled out of Hallow's eyes and mouth.

"Ah, Jackie!"

A large hand slammed into Jack's back, almost making him tumble forward, "Nice to see you too, North."

"You show up fashionably late, eh?" North asked. The mirth in his eyes and smile were contagious and Jack found himself smiling as well.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I think Cottontail may have gotten lost."

"Well you are here now. So no worries," North added as he held a small cup to his mouth and drained all the contents. He tossed the empty glass aside and clapped his hand on Jack's shoulder, pulling him into the swarming mass of the people and creatures.

"Come, come, I'll introduce you."

North paraded about the massive hall with Jack in tow. North seemed it was best to reintroduce Jack to people that had known him well. They exchanged friendly greetings, but Jack could see the disdain on many of their faces.

"Now, I know how everyone feels about Jackie, but as they say "water under the bridge", eh? Let's all put past behind us, New Years is just around the corner."

The group they were talking to consisted of the Ground Hog, Baby New Years, and the Saint Patrick's Day Leprechaun, and all of them were skeptical. But with North there to assure that Jack had changed, they had decided to let dislike for Jack subside for the time being. That had made North smile and he quickly began to spin stories of past Christmas runs. He even told them that one year he had one of his Yetis have a try at delivering presents after losing a bet with Bunnymund.

"And I tell you, never again will I make mistake like that again," North proclaimed. "Yetis are not so good at the chimney. Is trick I have developed, and Yetis are not as…nimble."

Jack had begun to lose interest and quietly slipped away into the crowd before North began another tale from his days as Santa Claus. Jack had only felt safe enough to walk about without having to hunch over when North's booming voice faded to just another noise in the crowd. His eyes scanned the room once more, this time taking everything in and committing it to memory. There were more than just simple creatures such as Baby New Year or the Groundhog. There were mythical creatures that Jack had heard only in passing from the children of the world. There were beings from Greece, Japan, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland; there were others that he couldn't quiet tell what they were or where they had even originated from.

There was a smile growing on Jack's face as he took in the guests and atmosphere. His hand twirled his staff with his fingers and felt the itch to create a little mischief for the attendants. Just one small blizzard made in just the right place.

"Oh! Jack! Jack, over here!"

Jack caught the flash of green as he looked to who called out to him. He smiled and shouted back, "Hey, Tooth." It would seem that his antics would have to be saved for another time.

Tooth buzzed frantically about in the air as she fought her way through the crowd. She finally reached Jack and ensnared him in a spine cracking hug. Her face beamed at him as she pulled away, "I'm so glad you made it!"

Jack nodded in agreement. Sometimes he forgot just how tough Tooth was and how much strength she had hidden away in that small body. "This is some party."

"Oh I know, I get so excited to see everyone and take a night from work," Tooth exclaimed as she spun in a circle, looking at everyone in the room. She turned back to Jack to see the surprise on his face and quickly shook her head. "Oh, but don't misunderstand. I love my job, but one break from a thousand years of work isn't too bad to ask for, is it?"

"No, I guess not, but who's running things while you're away?"

"Oh my fairies are handling it for now. They'll be fine,'' Tooth promised, "So let's just have a little fun tonight. Come on, I want you to meet some of my other friends."

"Uh no, that's ok. I'll meet them when I see them," Jack said quickly. He caught the disappointment in Tooth's eyes and thought up an excuse fast. "I was going to head to the table for something to eat."

She grinned, "Alright. Have fun!" She flew off into the crowd, leaving Jack to himself. He heaved a sighed, relief filling his chest; knowing Tooth, she would have introduced him to everyone in the castle without stopping for a breath. He started his search for the table of refreshments, and had finally found it, but his stomach turned at the sight. The table was long, nearly cutting the room in half with its length. However, Jack seemed to be on the wrong end. To the far left he could smell cooked eggs, cookies, fruit cake, fruit, and vegetables. Further down the food changed into wild flowers, grass, soil, mud, insects, oil, raw meat, rancid trash, bones, and what he thought was a bucket of sewage. The insects shifted and crawled in the dozens of crystal jars they were held in, but no one seemed to notice or care about the very strange assortments of food on the table.

"And there goes my appetite," Jack said. He held his arm over his face and retreated from the foul smell of the trash and sewage that plagued him. As he made his retreat back into the party, his foot sunk into something wet and slick. He looked down to see something foul seeping over his foot. Jack looked up to see a creature that was nothing but oozing slime and mud. The smell assailed him as he quickly shook the foul slime off of his foot and scrambled away from the creature that picked up the bucket of sewage and slowly drank deep form it.

Jack was too focused on watching the oil monster eating that he ran head first into something hard. Jack stepped back and coughed, trying to empty his lungs of the muck monster's smell that still burned his nostrils.

"Ever heard of a bath," Jack muttered as he slowly breathed in clean air once more.

"What was that you said?"

Jack glanced up and saw a centaur towering over him. He looked back to see that the thing he had run into was the centaur's leg. The human half of the centaur had pale skin, peppered hair that had, at one point, matched the black coat of his other half. The man's green eyes were sharp and cold as they bore down on Jack. Jack took note of the scars on his face and chest; this man was every bit the warrior he seemed to be with his honed muscles and his hard strong jaw.

"I don't know, what did I say?" Jack questioned.

"You think I smell, boy?" the centaur asked with a voice as deep and low as thunder. His tail whipped and his hooves pawed the ground in agitation.

Jack leaned on his staff and shrugged, "Well you smell better that the thing over there." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder to the muck creature. The centaur followed the gesture and his eyes lit with anger.

"You have to be touched in the head to talk that way to a centaur."

"Uh-huh, half a horse and half a human," Jack noted as he looked over the centaur. "Well I haven't seen your kind yet at the petting zoo, but I'm not a big fan when it comes to the smell of farm animals and dirt." Jack added that last statement with a smirk.

Others nearby who had heard the confrontation slowly inched away from Jack and the centaur, creating a circle around the two of them. The centaur's feet stamped into the marble floor, his eyes burning with fury. The centaur suddenly charged at Jack. Jack spun his staff and a winter breeze carried Jack over the centaur and dropped him to the other end of the circle of people.

"Insolent boy, you need to be put into your place!" the centaur roared.

"Good luck," Jack laughed, "I'm pretty hard to catch."

The centaur reared and kicked his feet out. He charged again, but Jack tapped the butt of his staff on the ground. A sheet of ice erupted over the marble floor and the centaur ran right on to the slick path. He slipped and slid; his feet trying to find balance on the ice until he finally lost his balance and crashed on the ground. The centaur clambered back on to his feet and turned back to Jack. Jack smiled and held his staff out in front of him, ready to fight. The centaur charged again and started to close the distance, Jack's staff started to glow with power and just as the fight was about to reach its breaking point, two arrows had pierced the ground in between Jack and his opponent.

Jack stared at the arrows, confused; the centaur desperately skidded to a halt. A tiny flame sparked on both arrows and in a heartbeat both arrows were coated in red flames. The fire jumped and expanded with a loud crack, making Jack fall to the ground in shock. The fire grew into a wall to separate the two. Both the centaur and Jack distanced themselves from the inferno.

"That's enough!"

A girl landed in the circle and bore down on Jack and the mythical creature on the other side of the wall. Her crimson wings slowly folded to her body after setting her down on the ground. She was slender, with olive skin, auburn hair that was tied into a loose ponytail and reached her waist. Jack saw in her left hand an oak bow that had a dark red bowstring. The girl swept her weapon through the flames and Jack saw the bowstring glow. As it the fire spun furiously around the string until it had dissipated. All that remained was the scorched and impaled floor, and the silent atmosphere.

The centaur quickly regained his posture. "He was out of line," he barked at the girl, "He had insulted me-"

Jack felt his muscles tighten as he prepared to rise to the girl's defense, but the girl raised her hand to the centaur. Her voice was soft and calm as she spoke.

"I understand, Tah`nu. I will take responsibility for what he has said." The girl bowed, "Please forgive him and allow me to make amends. Ask what you will."

The centaur was stumped. He wanted to unleash his rage, but he seemed reluctant to do it with the girl before him. He slowly bowed in return, accepting her apology. "I will look over his transgression this time, but should it happen again, I will want a year's worth of your arrows for my entire herd."

The girl smiled brightly, "Of course."

Tah`nu left, pushing his way through the crowd. Slowly the others turned back to their friends and slowly started to gossip among themselves, but the party had been returned to normal. Quickly, the girl rounded on Jack. She was fast and in one fell swoop, she had snatched Jack by his sweater and dragged him through the crowd.

"Idiot!" the girl barked. "What makes you think you can talk to anyone, let alone a centaur, like that?"

She pulled Jack to the far side of the room and slammed Jack into the wall. He winced, but quickly regained posture. "Not my fault he's overly sensitive," Jack muttered.

"Let me give you a little tip of information. Centaurs are prideful; they are a very proud race. For you to attack Tah`nu like that-," The girl stopped and took a deep breath before continuing. "If I hadn't interfered you were going to die."

"And you care why?" Jack asked.

"I care because I'm trying to get this place calm and in order. I'm one of the people here to make sure no one starts beating the other into oblivion."

Jack laughed loudly, "You're the party police?"

"Head of it actually," the girl replied coolly. "First and last warning: Start another fight and I'm going to throw you out of this place myself."

Jack looked at the girl, but this time he really looked. He looked into the face of the head of security and he had been caught off guard. She had hazel eyes that glimmered with tiny gold flecks. She had untidy bangs that had just reached her left eyebrow. She had a heart-shaped face with soft round lips and a cute pixie nose. She had small golden earrings and a tunic that fell just to her knees. A golden belt was tied around her waist and she had dark brown sandals with laces that wound their way up her shins. He watched as she fitted the bow over her head so it rested on her shoulder.

"Do we have an understanding?"

"Sure," Jack agreed.

The girl turned on her heel and walked away. Jack saw the crimson wings were folded tightly against her body as she maneuvered her way through the crowd. Jack smirked as he saw others step out of her way and stare at her as she passed by.

"See yourself into some trouble now, did you?"

Bunnymund hopped over and stood on his back feet as he and Jack caught the last bit of her fade into the swarming mass.

"Horse just got upset I ate the last apple," Jack said. "Wasn't a big deal."

"Doesn't seem that way to me," Bunnymund said. "If Arianna had to get involved, it must have been quite a stir up."

"Arianna?"

"That girl who was puttin' you in your place," he pointed out. "Take it from me; she's not one to cross."

"Is that right? What's her job?"

"Other than keepin' the peace here? She spends her time finding love for humans."

"Ok, stop the joking."

"I'm not joking, mate. She's the Cupid."

Jack couldn't believe it, "Isn't she supposed to be a he? And aren't they supposed to be half-naked kids in diapers with cute little, puff-ball wings?"

"Those are her cherubs. They're like Tooth's fairies, North's yetis, and my stone guardians."

Jack mauled on that thought. If Valentine's Day is meant for love and unions, then how did that job fall to someone like her? From what he had experienced, she was brash, bossy, and short-tempered.

"I might have to look into this."

"Whoa, hold on. That's not something you want to do. She's new to the job, but she takes no mischief from anyone or anything," Bunnymund warned.

"Well, she just hasn't met my kind of mischief."