North: "I hope the yetis treated you well."

Jack: "Yeah, I love being shoved into a sack and tossed through a magic portal!"

North: "Oh, good. That was my idea!"

x

Thursday 4th December 2014

Thursday evening marched onward and, even with the onslaught of paperwork and marking that Haru had to do, the teacher found herself dragged out for a late cup of tea at the Crossroads with Hiromi. She stirred her drink idly with the blunt end of a fork and tuned out to the ramblings of her friend.

"I mean, Kasumi's finally sleeping again – although who knows how long that will last – but I can't help worrying about her or Michi. Even he's been tossing and turning in the night now," the young mother rattled on, her hands stressing her anxieties as they danced above the warm steam rolling off her coffee.

Haru nodded and drank deeply into her drink. She decided against mentioning the events of the night before. "How was Kasumi today?"

"Oh, as indomitable as ever. Did she tell you about her new fantasy – she's been telling everyone that she met Peter Pan..." Hiromi laughed and returned to her coffee. "Children have got such imagination."

Haru grunted her agreement, not trusting herself to add anything more. "Look, Hiromi, it's been great to meet up with you today and all, but I really have to go over tomorrow's lessons. The kids have got two more weeks and I have to make sure they're ready for their exams."

"Sure. Oh, and..." The lighter brunette fished out a couple of notes and pressed them into her friend's palm. "That's for looking after the two terrors last night."

Haru chuckled weakly and pushed them back. "Yeah, no, I don't accept payment for favours."

"Then... don't think of this as payment. Think of it as... gratitude, in the form of money."

"Hiromi..."

"Oh, come on, Haru; we both know that a teacher's wage doesn't exactly leave you rolling in cash. God knows no one goes into teaching for the pay. Anyway, if you weren't around, then Tsuge and I wouldn't be able to go to the conferences, or we'd have to actually hire a real babysitter."

The teacher regarded her friend, and then grudgingly took the notes. "I'll be spending this on your Christmas presents," she warned.

"Well then, I guess I'm just being selfish," Hiromi admitted with a grin. "If that's what it takes for you to take a little money, I think I can survive through a few more presents."

"You think you're so funny..." Haru rolled her eyes, which then fell on the hoodie of a familiar individual. Her head tilted curiously to one side and her brow dipped into a frown. "What...?"

"What?" Hiromi glanced back, trying to see what had caught the other woman's attention. "What is it?"

Haru leant forward and pointed through the crowds. "You see the blue hoodie there – the one with the staff?"

Hiromi squinted into the space Haru was gesturing to. "No..."

"Yeah, I didn't think so." Haru rose to her feet and slipped her bag over one shoulder. "It's been great to talk – I promise I'll try to find time to do this again – but I've got to go. Got to catch a... an acquaintance."

"I thought you said you needed to work," Hiromi threw back, a tad accusingly.

"Plans have just changed."

"Haru...?"

"It's someone from the school," she replied. "Another teacher. I'll see you later, Hiromi." Giving her friend a final wave, she disappeared along the maze of stalls that dominated the Crossroads this time of year. The evening cold had almost emptied the area and now most of the stalls were closed and locked, but she still had to ease her way past the occasional passerby.

She turned a corner and came to a fork in the stalls. She stood there for several moments, visibly stumped as she glanced along the deserted pathways. "Damn it. Lost him." She paced between the openings, when suddenly her left foot lost grip. She spun through the air, cartwheeling her arms for several moments before grabbing onto one of the stalls.

She hung there for several more seconds simply breathing hard, and then slowly dragged herself back to her feet with the utmost of dignity. Where she had lost balance, there was a long sliver of ice running along the cobbled ground. Now she turned her attention to such detail, there were obvious spirals of fresh ice spiralling along the stalls as well.

She idly ran a finger along the new ice. "What if Frost isn't just in the name?" she wondered aloud. "It's got to be worth a try."

Carefully stepping over the ground ice, she started into a run along the pathway, falling further into the maze of the Christmas fair. Now the ice was more prominent, obvious now that Haru was looking for it. In some places, the ice had been manipulated into shapes, even arrow-shaped in one incident. Haru had no doubt that the sprite knew exactly what she was doing.

She rounded a corner and misjudged the width of fresh ground ice. This time her whole form went skidding and she collided into an unmoving, unyielding, furry wall.

She bounced back and smacked onto the icy ground. Stars spun before her eyes and she had the momentary thought that, really, she should have called for Bureau backup, before brown filled her vision and she was bundled into something distinctly sack-like.

'Kidnapped again,' was her last thought. 'Muta's never going to forget this.'

ooOoo

In a surprisingly short time later, the sack was dropped onto tiled floor and the strings loosened. Instead of jumping straight out, Haru didn't move instantly. She was still hurting after the last two falls.

Something prodded the sack and an Australian accent could be heard to say, "Great. Looks like you killed our only lead, North."

"I told yetis to take good care," a Russian voice returned, uncannily cheerful despite the prospect that the sack only contained a body now. "She will be fine."

Haru dropped a hand into her bag and her fingers curled around a small canister. When the opening of the sack twitched, she kicked herself out, canister first, and released a spray of deodorant into her kidnapper's face.

She made a mental note to acquire actual defensive spray in the future.

However, her meagre attack had an effect. The individual who had been easing the bag open had staggered back, howling and holding two giant paws over his nose. "Bloody brood! What was that for?"

"I could ask you lot the same question!" Haru snapped back. She raised the can of deodorant at eye level and kept it solidly between her and the strange gatherings of individuals before her. The one she had managed to hit seemed to be a kangaroo hybrid of sorts, but at six feet tall and with boomerangs.

The one whom she assumed to be the owner of the Russian voice was a white-haired, bearded man, red-suited with black fur linings. That left the short, gold man apparently made of sand and the winged, feathered lady hovering in the back.

And, finally, Jack Frost.

"Is no need to panic," the Russian man assured. "All is okay–"

"Okay?" Haru echoed incredulously. "No need to panic? You stuff me into a sack and drag me to who knows where and I'm not supposed to panic?!"

"Told you she wouldn't approve," Jack added.

"You!" Haru spun round to the winter spirit, canister raised dangerously in his direction. "I'm not even talking to you." She hesitated. "Who are these guys?"

"We're the Guardians," the kangaroo groaned. He straightened up, but his nose still twitched irritably. "I'm the Easter Bunny. E. Aster Bunnymund."

Haru hesitated again, and then lowered her deodorant in blatant disbelief. "Right. And I'm the tooth fairy."

"Actually – uh – that would be me..." The winged individual fluttered forward, laughing nervously. "Queen Toothania – but you can just call me Tooth." She offered a slim hand to the young woman.

Haru stepped back, eyes widening. "Wait. Just... wait a moment..." She glanced back to the Russian man. "So... if we've got the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy, then... you must be... Father Christmas?"

"Nicholas St. North. Is pleasure to meet you."

Haru ignored the second offered handshake. "Which only leaves... you..." She turned to the golden individual who had yet to utter a single syllable. She stared at him mutely for a moment and then admitted defeat. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"That's Sandy," North said. "Also known as Sandman."

With a silent gesture, the smallest Guardian tipped a golden hat spiralling into existence from his dream sand. Haru tried to bite back a smile. "Oh, so... like the bogeyman?" she offered.

The Guardians visibly flinched away.

"No, no..."

"Sandy as Pitch? That's ridiculous."

The sole human raised a dubious eyebrow. "And... you're about to tell me that the bogeyman is real too, huh?"

"He was, but we took down the blighter," Bunnymund said with a punch to his chest.

"Fantastic. That's great. I applaud you." Haru's grip on the deodorant tightened and she stepped back. "But, as lovely as this meeting has been, perhaps someone could drop me off home now?"

"Oh, no, we couldn't do that just yet." Tooth came flying forward, nervously wringing her hands between one another. "You see, the fearlings are acting strangely and we were hoping you could help..."

"Help? How could I help? I know nothing about them."

"You can see them," Tooth said.

"So can he!" Haru gestured angrily to Jack Frost. "He's the one who said he captured one – shouldn't you be bundling him into a sack instead?"

The winter spirit chuckled. "Too late. And, just to get this clear, I tried to persuade him against doing it again."

"You obviously need work on your persuasion skills," she muttered. "Look, I know practically nothing about the fearlings."

"Then how come you can see the critters?" Bunnymund demanded.

Now the young brunette paused. She ran her free hand nervously up her arm, fighting off the chill of the ice palace. The Bureau had become involved with many different people and worlds over the years – or so she had heard; some good, some bad – and so she wasn't sure just how a mention of the Creations would go down with this lot. "I... spend time around Creations..." she eventually settled on. "Apparently the magic affects those who are around too much, so now... I can see them. Like how I can see you guys..."

To her surprise, a little of the confusion cleared from the Guardians. Four of them, anyway.

"Ah, Creations..." North rumbled.

"This would be Sandy's department, mate."

"I'm sorry, have I missed something?" Haru interrupted.

"Yes, please explain." Jack leant into the conversation with a swing of his staff. "Why am I hearing about this the same time she is?"

"Well, all Guardians... well, almost all," Tooth added apologetically, "have helpers. I have my fairies, North his yetis and elves, Bunnymund his eggs, and Sandy... Well, didn't you ever wonder where his helpers were?"

"I'm sorry, I was too busy not being a part of your exclusive Guardian club."

Haru watched the exchange cautiously. "Do... you want me to leave the room while you talk this through, or can I stay?"

"You get used to this after a while," Bunnymund assured. "He just likes to guilt trip us once in a while."

"Hey!"

"Oh, I'm sorry – I meant every other day!"

"Perhaps your kangaroo ears just need some cleaning out!"

"I'm a bunny!"

"You can say it all you like, but it won't make it any truer."

Haru broke into a sudden laugh and received dirty looks from both individuals.

"What?"

"What's so funny?"

"No, don't mind me..." Haru covered her mouth with one hand and tried to fight back the laughter. "You just... remind me of a couple of friends... Anyway, what's this about Creations?" she added, desperately trying to drag the topic back on track. "Are you saying they're... Sandy's... helpers?"

"Sandy looks after the dreams of children," Tooth explained, continuing on from where she had been interrupted. Haru gained the impression that the bickering between Jack and Bunnymund was more commonplace than to be expected. "But toys also help to fend off the nightmares. Not all toys – only toys that are loved enough by children gain life."

"Like Creations," Haru breathed in understanding. "Except, Creations are brought to life by the artisans who made them..."

"Yes. However, while toys are filled with the childlike wonder and belief of their owners, Creations are... a little bit more complex. They do fall under the same category as the toys, but... they don't usually have much to do with us."

"That would explain why they never mentioned you lot."

"Well, now all is sorted out, my yetis will drop you back," North said cheerfully. "You are obviously not nightmare or dream pirate."

"I think I would know if I were," Haru returned with a raised eyebrow. As the yetis came ambling back towards her, picking up the discarded sack, she yelped and brought the canister of deodorant before her. "Stay back! I will use this... this deadly weapon! I mean it!"

Jack laughed. "Good luck with that."

"You said you wanted to go home," North reminded her, obviously confused by her panic.

"I kind of meant sans sack. And, before I go, I'd like to know a little more about the fearlings," she added. "I've been beating them away from the kids with a stick and I know they aren't going to hurt the children, but they are scaring them. They scare me. You said something about a bogeyman?"

"Yeah. Pitch was the real mastermind behind the fearlings," Bunnymund said. "He didn't use them much. He preferred the nightmares that he had created."

"But you said you defeated this... Pitch?"

"Around last Easter," Tooth agreed.

Haru had some faint memories of strange events during that time; she pushed them away to dissect later. "Okay, so he was in control of the shadows and darkness, but after you defeated him – then what?"

"Well, that was it." Jack chuckled and looked to the other Guardians. "Right?"

"Pitch is not coming back," North nodded.

"Yeah, but I was kind of wondering about the shadows..." Haru slowly continued, dancing her fingers idly between one another. "Because, just because you broke down their leader, it doesn't mean they disappear, right?" She glanced round to the Guardians and her heart sank. "Right?" she repeated weakly. "You didn't just assume that the shadows would disappear, did you...? You did, didn't you?"

As the Guardians took prolonged interest in their shoes or feet, Haru found her answer.

"Oh, Lord..."

"It is easy mistake to make," North insisted. "And we have had no problem... until now..."

"But you'll always have darkness," Haru returned sharply. "Even without this Pitch, they'll still be around. Maybe not with an agenda, but they won't just disappear. And now it's winter, and the nights are getting longer and... and this is the first winter they've gone without Pitch overseeing them, isn't it?" she asked with tangible dread.

"Maybe not the first winter..." North speculated. "Maybe there have been very early winters, before he came into existence..."

"Oh blimey," Bunnymund croaked to him. "So the darkness is running wild and you're telling me they're only going to get stronger with winter?"

"Well, as much as I've enjoyed this, now I think I'd like to go home," Haru reminded them. "I've got a few friends who might want to hear about this too. Uh... where are the exits?"

"Phil, show this young lady home."

One of the yetis came towards her and Haru raised the canister again.

"Without the sack," North called.

The yeti sighed and dropped the bag. Instead, a crystal-like globe was retrieved, shaken, and then dissolved into a spinning portal. Haru glanced in, wrinkled her nose, and was about to point out a flaw in this when the yeti pushed her through.

ooOoo

The next thing Haru was aware of, she was falling through a crowd of people in fancy dress, mostly Santa Clauses, reindeers, and elves, in broad daylight. Stumbling through her apologies, she bowed and backed away as fast as possible. Even so, she couldn't help finding it a bit strange to find so many Europeans or Americans – obvious by their dress and appearance – en masse. Then again, it was the holidays.

She took refuge beneath a shop canopy and stared up at the cloudy sky. When the yetis had kidnapped her, it had been evening – had so much time passed that it was already day, or were the portals as unreliable here as they were in the Cat Kingdom?

As her eyes scanned the sky, they caught on the signs swinging from the shops. The letters seemed strange for a moment, and then they appeared to physically melt away and rearrange themselves into recognisable kanji. She blinked. Sometimes shops did use the western alphabet, but she had never seen so many. Also, it appeared the Bureau's aptitude for translating languages extended to the written word as well.

She rubbed at her eyes and dropped her gaze to the bright selection of merchandise inside the nearest shop.

Dollars.

"Oh, boy."

She paced away from the shops and retrieved her phone from a pocket, all too glad to see that it had survived her rather unexpected kidnapping. She keyed a quickdial option and the other end was picked up almost immediately.

"Haru. What a pleasant surprise," Baron greeted. Since Haru had never seen a phone in the Bureau, she had never quite understood how it could receive messages... but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth right now.

"I'd skip the pleasant part," Haru replied. "Hey, um... I kind of need a favour."

"Of course. What is it that you need?"

"A portal."

"At this time of night? Where are you?"

"Relax, Baron; everything's fine–"

"What's happened? Where are you?" he repeated with increased urgency.

She sighed and glanced up to the sky. Snow was beginning to fall. "America."

There was a long silence from the other end of the phone. Then, "Which state?"

ooOoo

A/N: So I know the sack scene was already done in RotG, but I really wanted to play around with it. I am also doing my utmost best to keep the characters... well, in-character, but I am sorry if I slip. I am just much more accustomed and relaxed with the TCR cast than RotG.

Also, my computer has broken (I'm having to crash at the university library just to update, let alone WRITE this darn 'fic) so you can imagine what fun that is, plus I have an exam tomorrow, so stress, stress, stress... so please leave a lovely review and I will do my utmost best to reply after the exam. (For additional humour, remember that I'm studying biology, and this particular module is all about mammalian life histories, which basically translates to animal… coitus, and so studying this in the library is… somewhat entertaining, if only for the funky looks I'm getting…)

Merry Christmas,

Cat.