You're Never Alone
Chapter 3: Artemis Has A Gift For Making People Guilty
A yeti burst into North's office, breaking one of the train sculptures yet again.
"How many times have I told you to knock?" North asked, his tone angrier than before. Jack's disappearance was really worrying him now so he tried to keep himself busy by building things. Sandy, Bunny, and Tooth were the same, trying to do their jobs more often. They were staying at the North Pole though, figuring Jack would come there if he got over their outburst.
The yeti grunted, and frantically waved his arms in the air.
"A visitor?" North asked. He knew it wasn't Jack, the yeti would've told him. Who else would come?
North sighed, and got up. He followed the yeti to the main entrance to the palace/workshop. In the entrance a young girl around Jack's age leaned against the wall. The girl had white hair, and icy blue eyes the same shade as Jack's. It was Artemis.
The girl was the winter/moon spirit. She used to be THE spirit of winter before Jack. She went to the South Pole for vacation. A three hundred year-long vacation, deciding to become an ordinary winter spirit and giving Jack all the power. However she was THE spirit of the moon, hence the name Artemis. She was a trouble-making little spirit, and though she loved children, and the joy her season brought them. She hated responsibilities. That was the reason she was so happy that Jack took her place. Artemis was stubborn, independent, and a feminist. The guardians haven't seen her in a little over three hundred years, and even though Tooth, North, and Sandy could be considered as being friends with her, Bunny was 'a bit too prideful' in her words.
"What d'you want Artemis." Bunny asked, boomerangs ready to be thrown any minute.
"Is that how you say hello, Bunny?" Artemis asked, "Times are changing. I should get out more often."
"Artemis, why are you here?" North asked, not in the mood for jokes.
"I've found the youngest guardian." Artemis said.
"Jack?" Tooth asked, suddenly interested. Artemis nodded.
"Where is he!" Bunny demanded. Artemis looked at him.
"Not here." Artemis said, "And lets ask ourselves why."
Bunny glared at her.
"Don't give me any dirty looks E. Aster Bunnymund, the only ones to blame here are yourselves. Did you even ask him what happened?" Artemis asked. Bunny opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. He looked at the others. They all realized they haven't.
"Typical." Artemis muttered, "Sit down, and I'll tell you." She dropped on the couch like a true troublemaker.
"The other weather spirits, who are jerks and bad-tempered, not a good combination. They have a little, okay, big grudge against Jack." Artemis started, "I mean he gets a whole season, of course they've got a grudge against him."
"Will you get to the point." Bunny said, anxious and a bit annoyed.
"Patience my dear Bunny." Artemis teased, "Where was I, oh yes, anyway the blizzard wasn't his fault at all. The other spirits were really mad, and decided to send his storm to Virginia. Not very nice, and I'm surprised you didn't even think that would happen. The other spirits would have to have a fever to pass up a chance to ruin his life. It would be totally out of character."
"Poor Jack." Tooth whispered, blinking tears away, "We have to get him back." She stood up.
"I don't know how willing he'd be to go back here." Artemis said.
"He has to." Bunny said, "He's one of us."
"Not what you told him." Artemis said.
"We were just mad." North said.
"We didn't mean to hurt him." Tooth said, a worried expression on her face.
Artemis sighed, and got up, "Look guys, Jack sees you as a family, a new family. One he trusts, and looks up to. Don't betray his trust. He's just a kid."
"But how can we make him come back?" Bunny asked.
Artemis smiled, "apologize. Realize how wrong you are." and then she disappeared, gone with the wind.
"But where is he?" Bunny yelled in desperation. He just wanted to see Jack again. The boy was annoying and all, but in a way his pranks and jokes and everything else makes Bunny's life complete. He liked it when Jack looked up to him. Tooth put a hand on his shoulder.
"We'll find him." She whispered, but she had fear in her voice. She didn't even know where to start the search.
...
"Aww, come on." Aleu said, "I thought you loved fun."
"I do, but I just don't feel like. Hey!" Aleu had jumped onto Jack's bed.
"It'll get your spirits up." She said jumping up and down.
"Fine." Jack tried to sound annoyed, but his eyes held amusement.
"Tag." Aleu said, and ran out of the cave. Jack smirked, and flew after the wolf. Aleu was running at top speed, but it didn't take Jack long to catch up with her.
"Hey, you cheated." Aleu said.
"Prankster." Jack said as if it was a valid excuse. He touched the wolf, and then started fly further down the hallway. A couple minutes later he felt Aleu bite on to his staff, and start pulling him down.
"Hey." Jack said, trying to fly away, but not hurt the wolf by pulling her along.
"Okay, okay Aleu you wore him out, he's better." A voice said. Artemis. Aleu let go of the staff.
"Sorry about that." Artemis said.
"It's fine. It was kinda fun till she grabbed the staff. I'll never get the bite marks out of it." Jack said.
"Right, anyway, I talked to the guardians. They seem pretty guilty." Artemis said.
"They do?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, but for now you're staying here." Artemis said, "So they can learn a lesson, and see how miserable life would be without you."
"Wow, you're really into the revenge stuff, aren't you." Jack said.
"Yeah, that's why no one ever does anything bad to me." Artemis said.
Finally! I'm done. PLEASE REVIEW!
