Yes, yes, I know, you're probably all saying, "No! Sophie, you can't ever make a mistake!" Aww, thanks guys. You're so sweet. But I did, sadly. Well, it was more of a 'game-changer' than a mistake. Anyways, let us continue on with my story.
Downstairs is quiet; it's just after Christmas - probably the reason for all this silence. The lights that spiral down the stairs stays with me until I get to the last step, then slowly fade out, sending a chill down my spine. The air doesn't smell right; it smells damp, almost stank. My nose twitches with disgust as I continue walking through the dark, using my ears to help me see.
Above me, something flashes past, and I stop walking, looking up to see what it is. But there's nothing, which sends a couple more chills down my spine. My neck fur begins to raise, (How use to all of this I have become, it's almost scary) and my feet scuffle along the floor softly and silently.
"Hello, Sophie," A deep, almost British voice makes me jump, and I look around me, searching for the voice. Another breeze brushes past me, and I see a dark shadow run down a hall in front of me. But, it's not really a hall, it's more of a tunnel, reminding me of those I had come through with Bunny.
Maybe it's Pitch, trying to stray me from the path of the Guardians. Or… Could it possibly be something or someone different? My mind wanders to Jack, wishing he was here to help me. I'm not a fighter, not like Bunny, not yet. I can feel my heart bumping against my chest, quickening as my breath becomes faster.
My paws scuffle on the ground and I hop towards the shadow, hoping I'm not making a mistake (haha…). The ground beneath me becomes harder, more like stone than wood. Ahead of me is complete darkness, although I should be okay with it, being a rabbit in all. But it makes me uncomfortable, unsure of not only what is around me, but even myself.
"Ah, I see you've found me, dear Sophie," The voice speaks, and my entire body stops and becomes very tense. The breeze continues to brush past, and chills me to the bone. Suddenly, a spot of light appears above me, casting a gloomy shadow of myself in all different directions.
"So, Sophie, tell me about yourself."
I snort. "You first, unless you're afraid to."
I hear a chuckle, and my tail twitches in fear. Why am I so afraid? I should be more calm than this, but fear has completely taken over my body.
"I am just another Guardian, like you."
"I'm not a Guardian, not yet." I growl through gritted teeth. "And from what I've heard, you never have been one."
There's silence for a few seconds, then a reply; "They… They told you of me?"
I snort again. "Yeah, I would think so, Pitch Black. I'm not afraid of you." (actually, complete opposite of what I am, but I really hope he doesn't know that)
"Pitch Black?!"
The voice sounds very angry, making me very scared.
"You think I'm Pitch Black?!" A sudden whoosh, then a figure steps out of the shadows. "You have worse Nightmares to think about than Pitch Black."
The figure steps into the light, making himself well known to me, and I gasp, almost falling to my knees in terror. Have you ever played those Skyrim games where they have those cat people, Khajiits? Yeah, this is your guy- a big, black Khajiit, with a big top hat on his head and red beady eyes. It's scary just looking at him, much less knowing he is there.
He walks towards me, and I notice he is wearing a pair of boots (reminds me of Puss'N Boots!), and a scarf belt around his waist which holds up a large sword that touches the tips of his boot heels. He's not much taller than me, and looks like he's seen his fair share of fights from the looks of his battered ears and scraped up nose. Across his eye, a scar terrifyingly similar to Scar stands out white among his black fur.
I try to take a step back, but find I am paralyzed by fear. My eyes slowly go up to sea-level again, and I gasp as I see him right in my face, his red eyes unblinking.
"I'm definitely not Pitch Black, little one." He grins, and rows of sharp fangs show, making my skin crawl with disgust. "I am the Black Cat," He takes a step back and bows with his top hat. "At your service."
My feet itch to run, but I have no choice but to hold my ground and grit my teeth as best as possible. "What do you want? Are you the cat who's been making Bunny feel old?"
The cat stands call and shrugs. "Maybe so, maybe no. It's hard to know when I've been having so much fun."
"Really? Doing what?" I growl.
His eyes watch me closely. "My job as Guardian. I know what you're thinking, 'But aren't Guardian's joyful? Aren't they peaceful and happy?' So funny, because that's just those four. They cast me out for being the Guardian I was meant to be!"
"Which is?"
"A Guardian of fear, obviously." He smiles. "It's what keeps you from running right now. Fear, caused by moi."
A deep growl has set in my throat. "Just another Pitch is what I see."
This angers him, as he jumps in my face and points a finger at me. "Never, ever compare me to Pitch Black! That creature is nothing next to me, like king and a lowly animal!" His face is twisted in a snarl, and I cower in his presence.
Finally, after a moment of staring at me, he stood back, brushed his chest off, and bowed again to me, raising his hat. "When we meet again, Sophie Bennett, the Easter Bunny." And with that, my world grew fuzzy until I was blacked out.
"Sophie!"
"Sophie!"
A muffled voice slowly brought me from my darkness, and I blink my eyes open slowly, seeing a face of white right above me. My body pounds with blood, and my eyes are fuzzy.
"J-jack?" I slowly speak, but stop when the I begin to feel like a bus has hit me in the head.
At my side, a hand touches my arm and squeezes it reassuringly. "It's okay, Soph. I'm here."
My eyes begin to adjust as I nod, and I see myself on a table in a large room (which by the decoration can only be a piece of the workshop). Beside me, Jack is standing, a chair right behind him, making me wonder how long he's been at my side. Above me, his eyes are full of worry, covered by some relief.
"What happened?" I ask, slowly sitting up.
Jack helps me up, his hands on my shoulders. "You blacked out in the back of the Pole. We found you and brought you here."
Behind him, I notice movement and see Bunny, North and the rest of the Guardians sitting on a long bench along the windows. Bunny is the only one awake (apparently waiting wasn't a specialty of most Guardians), and he looks up, noticing my awakeness.
On light feet, he is at my side, a glitter of a smile on his face. "How you doing, Anklebiter?"
I smile at him. "I feel like I got hit by a train, but good."
Jack places his hand on my arm. "Sophie, we need to know what happened. Do you remember what happened before you blacked out?"
In the back of my mind, I see pictures of the strange Black Cat, with his top hat and sword. My mouth opens to speak, but in a moment fear rises in me. What if they think I'm in alliance with them? They would kick me out, giving me no chance to help change the world with them. Jack probably wouldn't trust me anymore.
So, I shake my head. "No, nothing. Just walking away from the big fight and… Falling down the stairs and blacking out. That's it."
My eyes meet his own deep blue, and we stare unblinkingly at each other, my heart fluttering. I know he use to be a fantasy of my childhood, but now I'm 19, and for once I notice how beautiful he looks.
"Sophie," Bunny pulls me from my thoughts and I look at him, recognizing his old stature. "Do you feel well enough to get back to the burrow? Or would you like to stay here for the night till you feel better?"
I sigh, feeling the pounding in my head and remembering the energy it took to get through that tunnel. "No, I'll stay here until I feel better." My gaze returns to Jack, and he nods and looks at Bunny.
"Don't worry, I'll protect your prodigy. I promise."
Bunny looks at me for a few more moments, then shrugs. "Fine, I'll come back to get you when you are ready, just give me the signal."
Both Jack and I nod, and Bunny leaves the room via tunnel, leaving a flower in the flooring, as though it had sprouted there by magic.
