Chapter 4

The Calm Before the Storm

Trick

The silence hung in the air longer than I had hoped. Jack and Bunny looked at me sorrowfully while stealing glances at the other to see who would tell me the news first.

"Guys!" I said worry dripping off the four letter word.

"You played another game." Jack said slowly. I swear if my heart wasn't dead before then it was now. I knew that I did sick and twisted things to make people believe in me and in time I had began to call them games because when I was in that state of insanity I thought that it was fun.

I looked down nodding my head and sighed. "Did I hurt any children?" I know that within in the five years of going in and out of sanity that I have never hurt a child but it seems that every time I come back and they tell me what happened I get worse. I'm so afraid of the answer, so terrified that they will say yes. If I ever physically hurt a child I don't know what I do. I already feel horrible for scaring the last school of children.

"They weren't children", Bunny answered. I looked up at him curiously. "You attacked a high school in Canada." For a moment my breath hitched in my throat. "No one was hurt, but is seems that one student it being taken to the mental hospital."

The moment Bunny mentioned the teenager a boy's face flashed through my mind. Tall, sandy colored hair, amber eyes filled with horror as he screamed. I grasped my head and shut my eyes to keep away the tears that were threatening to break through. My body trembled with a mixture of anger and sadness. I was doing this and not only to I have any true recollection of it, I can't stop myself.

"Trick", I heard Jack say quietly beside me. I couldn't handle this at all, not the emotions, accepting what I've done, or their looks of pity. I jumped up and cried out angrily, letting the tears run down my face, as I turned to where Jack was sitting be side a huge boulder and swung.

A dull thud echoed through out the Warren as everything seemed to stop at the sound of it. Jack and Bunny sat there, their eyes wide in shock and mouths gaping open. I glared at the boulder I had just punched looking at the cracks with in it, the small chunks of rock falling to the ground, and the blood that ran down it slowly. At first I felt nothing but the potential numbness of everything but then I felt the pain running in waves up my arm.
My knees felt weak when the pain hit and I felt them give on me. Large paws held onto my waist as Bunny sat me back down onto the ground. My hair covered my face from their surprized stare as I looked at my broken hand.

"Let me look at that", Bunny said before gently picking up my hand, cradling it in his paw as he inspected the damage. I winced a little feeling the pain radiate through me. "Yep, you crushed a few of the bones in your hand."

"So what? I traumatized an entire high school, I believe a broken hand is nothing." I responded.

Bunny sighed before covering my hand with his paws. I didn't feel anything for a moment, then the warmth hit me. My hand tingled as I felt the warmth flowing through my hand. Green magic, life, entered my hand to heal it the warmth overflowing in me like a mini sun inside of me. I heard as well felt the bones mending themselves and reshaping back into position.

I looked through strands of orange and black hair to watch the process being done. The whole thing took mere minutes before my hand was as good as new. Bunny released my hand but not before giving it a gentle kiss.

"Bunny using own magic? Not everyday you sees that." Came the familiar Russian accent. The three of us turned to the left to see the other three Guardians have arrived.

"Trick", Tooth said almost scolding me in a mother like tone and she zipped over and took my hand to inspect it. "You shouldn't do this to yourself, it's not your fault."

"But it is. I scared all those people, I am traumatizing them to the point of going to the mental hospital for the rest of their life!" I said snatching my hand away from her. I didn't need to look own to know that there wasn't even a scar left thanks to Bunny's infamous magic.

"That is why we are here." Tooth said soothingly to me.

"We are here to discuss you." North said as him and Sandy came over to us. I looked up at him as he gave me one of his genuine smiles. A gasp from Tooth suddenly made everyone look at her. She was staring down at my chest, her eyes wide with fright. We all followed her eyes only to hear another gasp come from North. I looked down to see nothing in particular.

"What? Why are we all staring at my boobs?"

Jack

Trick had surprised Bunny and myself when she punched the boulder. I knew she had overwhelming emotions with what has happened, she was not the only one, but I never expected for her to lash out like that. Could she be changing back already? I feared that she was because she normally never over reacted like this.

Bunny had caught her in time before Trick fell and I saw the tears, all the emotions she was feeling with just the look on her face. It tore me inside to see this, I didn't know what to do. I looked at her hand again as Bunny inspected it. Blood was dripping onto his fur from where apart of the bone tore through her skin. I inwardly flinched seeing her hand the way it was but I said nothing.

I felt his magic flowing through the air around us as he healed Trick's hand. The green magic he had touched me with its warmth, the opposite from mine. Trick did not move the entire time and neither did I as Bunny continued his work. When finished I could immediately tell her hand was one thousand percent better.

"Bunny using own magic? Not everyday you sees that." We turned and I smiled seeing the others had arrived. I wondered to myself how long they had been there. Did they hear us tell Trick what happened? Did they see her punch the boulder? Or did they arrive when Bunny was healing her hand?
I was tore away from my questions when I heard Tooth gasp in fright. I whipped my head to look at her and followed her widened eyes to Trick's chest. The black mark with its smoke like tendrils on her chest. I knew all the other Guardians were looking at the mark too.

"What? Why are we all staring at my boobs?" Trick said curiously as if she didn't see the mark at all.

I looked back up at her my eyebrows knitting together. "You don't see the mark?"

"Mark? What mark? There is nothing there Jack." Trick replied while looking up at me before looking back down to her chest.

"Trick there is a mark on you. It's black and ugly and..." Tooth covered her mouth before she continued as Trick looked at her.

"There is nothing there!" Trick cried out before standing and moving away from us. "What are you all on? Look", she gestured to her chest, "there is absolutely nothing there!"

I looked at Bunny and the others, I knew they all saw it as well so why didn't she? Trick stared us down for a few minutes before I started laughing.
"I gotcha!" I smiled at her. Trick looked at me before smirking, she thought that I had planned a joke. The others quickly caught on and smiled as well making her believe they were in on it.

"Wow Jack" Trick said before slowly coming over and sitting down beside me again. "You actually scared me there for a minute, nice joke." She smiled a little. I glanced at the others knowing we would talk about the mark on Trick later.

"It is good to see you as you are Trick" North said happily as he looked at the girl.

"But for how long?" She asked as she looked up at him. The question seemed to hang in the air heavily before North answered her.

"Syrum should work for five hours" Trick seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as she scooted closer to me. I glanced at her as I felt her fingers intertwine with mine. I couldn't help but smile as I gently squeezed her hand. I had missed this very small thing. I looked up to see Bunny making his way to her other side. He laid down onto the green grass and rested his head in her lap. I could see her small smile growing more and more as Trick gently stroked one of Bunny's ear. This was what we use to do to comfort her, and thank MiM it still worked.

North and the others smiled at us each comforting one another in this peaceful moment before the storm started up again. The large man let out a sigh of relief before gathering up Sandy and Tooth in his tattooed arms.

"Well will give alone time. Still be in Warren, but you three need time together", North winked before scurrying off with the other two. I chuckled a little as did Trick. Bunny on the other hand jumped up and pointed a furry finger at the slowly disappearing Russian.

"You stay out of my cellar!" He called out threatenly. I faintly heard a wine come from the large man, as if that were his plan all along. Trick then burst into laughter for the first time that felt like ages to me.

Trick

I couldn't help myself when I heard Bunny threatening North about his cellar. From what I have heard from North Bunny was good at making a few sorts of alcohol. But I have not even seen the location of Bunny's cellar, the warren was a big place and I still have yet to see every inch of it. I knew I would eventually see about it all, Bunny was opening up more and more to me and as well as the others. Even after all the centuries of knowing all the other guardians Bunny had a hard time opening up completely to them.

"He just needed push, and you gave him push." Was what North told me.

Bunny grinned a little and looked at me as he laid back down. I immediately began to stroke his soft ears again. I needed this, we needed this small moment together. Bunny began grinding his teeth softly, I called it purring since it reminded me of a cat but I didn't say it out loud. Last time I earned a boomerang to the head.

I looked at Jack and he flashed me is infamous smile before placing a small kiss on me cheek. I felt the small amount of frost on my skin before it slowly melted and ran down my face. I smiled at him before looking away, my smile immediately depleting and my gaze wandered around the green scenery before me.

"Trick..."Jack said lightly before he squeezed my hand. I looked down at our intertwined hands, pale and paler, the frost spider ring glinting softy in the light.

"I'm sorry..." I told them in a hushed voice, afraid that even the mention of what has happened would cause me to go back, back to the mindless and insane person I had become.

Bunny lifted his head to look at me and he placed a paw on my cheek. I nuzzled into it as I felt the tears threatening to come once again. I felt weak, even with the Guardian itself here I felt so hopeless now.

"Hey none of tha'." Bunny said as he practically jumped up, sitting on his haunches.

I felt Jack's hand leave mine only to snake their way on my waist. I looked up at them both as the first few tears finally broke through and ran down my face. Even when I has been alive I had always hated crying, but now sitting in front of Bunny and Jack as I cried I hated it more. Never before had I felt so weak. I was the weakest spirit and Guardian there was.

Bunny's arms wrapped around Jack and I and pulled us to him. I remembered when Jack first did not like this, he would complain until Bunny let him go but then he would be jealous over the fact that Bunny was holding me. But over time I saw that not only was Jack getting use to Bunny doing this. They tolerate each other more now thank the moon. Every now and again I would begin to think that they may actually be feeling something for one another but when I had mentioned it the two went on a man hunt for me. It did not end well to say the least, I could practically feel the egg bombs and frost attacks again.

I cried into Bunny's fur as both comforted me quietly. They knew no words could ebb the pain away. Hell what could they say about the situation? It's alright we still love you even though over half the time you're a psychopath that wants to make other people go insane with you? No that would not end well at all. I did not want their words anyway.

Bunny

Seeing Trick cry was a very rare thing. Only two other times have I ever seen her cry. The first when Jamie and Sophie died and the second was at their funeral. Of course that was also when she started to lose her sanity. This was proving too much for her to take, I couldn't blame her. None of us expected for this to happen to Trick. All of us Guardians, excluding Trick, had talked about what would happen the day her cousin's died. We knew it would be inevitable and so did she, but no matter how ready she was seeing it happen before her was different from seeing it in her mind.

I held her and Jack close to me. I knew this was also hurting frostbite but he wouldn't say anything while she was here. Our time was too short with Trick these days and neither him or myself wanted to make it any worse for her. We knew the syrum would fade soon and MiM only knew what would happen then. I back up and reclined on the boulder near us, still holding the two. We were her temporary heaven in this hell that her mind had created.

I held them like this for hours. Although Jack and I both knew that we needed to discuss that mark on Trick, we both mentally decided to wait. Since she couldn't see it, it would not be wise to try an inspect it that would only cause her to panic. To panic over something one can not see was not good. No we just had to take baby steps and handle one thing at a time and that ment comforting Trick in any way.

The other's soon came back and sat there. We quietly talked, anything but the mark, Jamie, Sophie, or anything that could remind Trick of what she had done. Once or twice Sandy managed to get her to laugh. But even five hours was not long enough with her.

North had just cracked one of his old classic jokes for us, we all couldn't help but at least chuckle. Trick had stopped crying and was calmly sitting in my lap while Jack sat beside us gently rubbing her back when she suddenly perked up. I immediately noticed it, her body language changing and her gaze looking into something far away. I flattened my ears as the girl continued to stare at a particular spot in the Warren, it was happening...

3rd

The Guardians seemed to notice the look Bunny was giving to the girl in his arms. His brows furrowing together as the spirit sat unmoving. Worry settled in each of their faces as the realization came to them, the syrum had faded.

"Jamie..." Trick whispered quietly as she stared into the Warren. As if on que the child in question walk out from a tunnel and waved at Trick happily. He was not coughing anymore, he was better, and he wanted to play.

Worried faces accompanied by tense bodies moved away from the Halloween Spirit as a small smile grew on her face, except one. Bunny had stood but that was as far as he was going to go away from her. The pooka frowned looking at the girl, not wanting to believe that their ever so short time was up, it was longer than usual but to him it still wasn't long enough. Forever could not be long enough for him.

Trick's gaze finally tore away from the child and to the Guardians. By just the look everything was told to them, she was gone and unfortunately she was wanting to play.

"Bunny move!" Jack cried out as black sand started to slowly cover the ground around Trick. The pooka didn't move as more sand covered the ground around the two threateningly.

"Bunny..." Trick said the name filled with fear. Hearing it seemed to give the older Guardian a small spark that Trick was actually trying to fight it. Hesitantly he stretched his arm out, his paw inches from touching the back of her shoulder as the others held their breath.

Too quickly for any of them to stop it the black sand wrapped around Bunny's wrists and ankles. The pooka jumped in surprise and pulled at the sand as Trick stood and turned to him. The Guardian's green eyes tore away from the sand and into blank violet eyes. Slowly, like a predator with its prey, Trick inched closer to Bunny till they were practically touching. No one dared move so to not set the girl off into a frenzy. Trick inched up onto her tippy toes so she was closer to his face.

"T..." Bunny tried to speak but a small, slim finger covered his furry mouth to hush him so all he could do was look at her.

"Let's play Bunny..." Trick spoke in a silky voice before her features changed. Her eyes widened and the smile turned into one of a mad mans. "It's time to play!" Black sand suddenly wrapped Bunny's throat, suffocating him of any air as another tentacle of black sand became sharp and pointed and plunged into Bunny's chest.

"NO!" Jack cried out as he shot ice at Trick. Sand formed in front of her, taking the attack instead and falling to the ground. Golden sand, which had been slowly slinking towards the two, exploded around them and wrapped Trick into a ball of it while another pulled Bunny away.

Muffled screams were heard as Trick attack the inside of the ball in an attempt to free herself. Nightmare sand attacked the outside.
Bunny laid on the ground, eyes wide and panicked as he could feel it, the sand moving inside his body. Tooth and Jack were the first over to their wounded commrade. The sand continued to attack Bunny from the inside and all he could do was writhe in pain as a silent scream left him.

Sandy flew over to the three while North stood a few feet away from them watching the ball of sand incase Trick broke free. The golden man looked at where the sand has pierced him then at Bunny's pain filled face. Sandy then turned to look at Tooth and Jack and pointed at the pooka's arms. The silent conversation needed no answer as the two complied and went to either side of the pooka and grabbed a hold of his arms.

"It's gonna be alright Bunny, Sandy is going to get rid of the sand." Tooth said soothingly to calm down Bunny. The pooka whimpered in response as Sandy readied himself. Golden sand swirled in his hand for a moment before it was pushed into the entrance of Bunny's wound.

The sound of screaming was heard through out the Warren as Sandy continued to work on Bunny. Jack and Tooth held down his arms as best as they could but it was proving to be more difficult than they expected. On the outside it looked like nothing was happening to him, but on the inside it was a whole different story. Golden sand was attacking the nightmares who here ravaging Bunny's body on the inside. Sandy hated to hurt any of his comrades but at this point in time he had no choice. Either try to save him, or let Bunny turn into a fearling.

Trick screamed in the sand ball angrily attacking it every where she could to find a weak spot. She could hear Jamie's voice right outside the ball, he was scared. Trick cried out again as she stabbed the sand. Jamie was scared and she was his Guardian, she was going to protect him no matter what.

North watched the golden ball carefully, swords in his hands. The black sand stayed near the ball, Trick knew it would be useless to lash out with it since she couldn't see. Her muffled screams diminished slowly to the point where North could not hear anything. Did she tire out already? For him that was not the case.

Black sand suddenly spewed from a crack in the sand making it grow till the golden sand fell away. Sandy was too busy with Bunny to try and keep the ball, it was now up to North to keep her occupied. Treat stepped out from the ball.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk you all scared Jamie. You never want to scare Jamie." Treat smiled before charging at North.

Author's Note: Sorry for the wait. Internet has been down for a while and still is, borrowed a friend laptop to post this for now. I made it extra long for the wait because I don't know when I'll be able to post another chapter. Enjoy for now!

Much love to all.